SARA  C.  PALMER 


‘From  the  H6rary  of  O.E.  and 
Mary  Maple  Jones 


JA  gift  from  Esther  <Doughtie  French, 

Jane  F)oughtie  Fay  Cor  e£  ‘Richard  F (Doughtic  III 


VERA  DICKSON’S 
TRIUMPH 


BY 

SARA  C.  PALMER 

Author  of  “The  Story  of  My  Life,”  etc. 


Chicago 

THE  BIBLE  INSTITUTE  COLPORTAGE  ASS’N 
826  North  La  Salle  Street 


Copyright , 1917 
By 

The  Bible  Institute  Colportage 
Association  of  Chicago 


INTRODUCTION 


It  is  a pleasure  to  commend  the  story  written 
by  Miss  Sara  C.  Palmer,  and  in  thus  commend- 
ing it  I hope  that  it  may  have  a very  generous 
reception  on  the  part  of  the  reading  public. 

Miss  Palmer  has  been  preeminently  success- 
ful in  her  chosen  lifework.  She  is  so  true  to 
God’s  Word  and  to  the  Son  of  God,  that  what- 
ever she  writes  is  worthy  of  careful  reading. 

This  book  must  be  interesting  and  helpful, 
because  it  has  grown  out  of  her  work  as  an 
evangelist,  and  the  things  about  which  she 
writes  are  the  things  which  she  has  experienced 
in  her  own  life,  and  seen  in  the  lives  of  others. 

I pray  for  God’s  best  blessing  to  be  upon 
all  that  she  is  seeking  to  do  for  her  Master  in 
“Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph.” 

J.  Wilbur  Chapman. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/veradicksonstriu00palm_0 


AUTHOR’S  FOREWORD 


In  evangelistic  work  it  has  been  my  experi- 
ence, that,  after  a sermon  which  the  Lord  used 
in  bringing  blessing  to  many,  requests  have 
come  to  have  those  discourses  published;  or, 
after  a lecture  on  some  special  subject,  similar 
requests  were  made.  Then  again,  I have  been 
asked  to  put  in  print  some  of  the  illustrations 
out  of  my  experience,  which  have  been  wonder- 
fully blessed  because  they  are  “true  stories.” 
For  years  I have  thought  of  complying  with 
the  request  of  my  friends  and  more  than  once 
have  decided  to  take  up  special  subjects  and 
write  them  in  fictional  form,  hut,  fearing  I 
might  be  misunderstood  or  unduly  criticized, 
I refrained  from  doing  so.  Doubts,  too,  as  to 
the  advisability  of  using  the  fictional  as  a 
vehicle  to  convey  the  truth  along  many  lines, 
kept  me  from  giving  people  the  benefit  of  my 
experience  through  my  pen. 


8 


Author's  Foreword 


The  germ  for  this  volume  has  been  in  my 
mind  for  years  and  took  shape  when  I read  the 
novels  written  by  Sydney  Watson,  who  is  one 
of  England’s  best  known  writers;  all  doubts 
were  banished  from  my  mind  when  I found  the 
Lord  had  used  them  so  wondrously  in  leading 
many  into  the  truths  contained  in  the  stories. 

I use  the  fictional  style,  therefore,  to  clothe 
the  truth  in  this  little  book.  Every  story  told 
and  every  illustration  used  really  happened 
directly  or  indirectly  in  connection  with  my 
work,  except  the  story  of  the  tramp,  and  I am 
grateful  to  Rev.  J.  Wilbur  Chapman,  D.  D., 
for  giving  me  permission  to  use  it. 

My  prayer  is,  that  this  story  may  be  used  in 
leading  many,  whom  I could  not  reach  with  my 
platform  messages,  to  see  the  error  of  their 
way  and  turn  to  the  Lord.  If  one  soul,  pre- 
cious in  the  sight  of  God,  is  blessed  I will  feel 
repaid. 


Sara  C.  Palmer. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  The  Reception  at  “The  Elms”  - - - - 11 

II.  The  New  Minister  - --  --  --  19 

III.  The  “Elmhurst”  Family  ------  25 

IV.  An  Important  Matter  ------  32 

V.  The  Itinerant  Preacher  ------  40 

VI.  Hurt  Feelings  - --  --  --  - 45 

VII.  The  Card  Party  - --  --  --  -50 

VIII.  Gambling 57 

IX.  Deepening  Interest  - --  --  --61 

X.  Popular  Amusements  ------  - 72 

XI.  A Momentous  Hour  - --  --  --82 

XII.  On  the  Bounding  Ocea:n  ------  91 

XIII.  A Good  Confession  --------97 

XIV.  Answered  Prayer  -------  101 

XV.  Miss  Beatrice  Dickson  -------  108 

XVI.  The  Prodigal’s  Return  - - - - - - 117 

XVII.  Saved  to  Serve  --------  - 119 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

“The  Elms,”  the  Dickson  residence  ------  13 

“Elmhurst,”  the  home  of  the  Gordons  - 27 

“I  will  never  go  forward  in  that  tabernacle  to  make  a 
confession  of  my  faith  in  God  ------  63 

“The  tabernacle  was  crowded  with  a most  auspicious 
gathering  - --  --  --  --  --  73 

The  church  home  of  the  Dicksons  and  the  Gordons  - - 123 


Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 


CHAPTER  i 

The  Reception  at  “The  Elms” 

VERA  DICKSON  had  just  graduated 
at  one  of  the  best  colleges  in  the  land. 
Her  father  and  mother  were  present  at 
the  commencement  exercises  and  felt  very 
proud  of  their  only  daughter,  who  could  not  in 
any  sense  be  termed  “a  spoiled  child.”  She  was 
a girl  of  medium  height,  with  deep  blue  eyes, 
and  a mass  of  golden-brown  hair,  and  features 
that  were  almost  perfect.  Although  amiable, 
vivacious,  kind  and  thoughtful  to  all  around, 
Vera  was  free  from  conceit  either  of  her  per- 
sonal charms  or  her  wealth,  though  she  could 
boast  of  affluence  had  she  so  desired. 

Her  mother  had  remained  long  enough  after 
commencement  to  accompany  her  daughter  to 
the  city  and  to  select  goods  and  styles  for  the 
replenishment  of  Vera’s  wardrobe.  Then  she 

in] 


12 


Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 


had  hastened  home  to  make  preparations  for 
an  appropriate  welcome,  while,  for  a fortnight, 
Vera  was  measured,  fitted  and  draped  until 
she  never  wanted  to  see  a dressmaker  again. 

At  last  the  work  was  done  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  girl,  whom  her  mother  thought  eligible 
to  become  one  of  the  society  leaders  of  the 
future.  Vera  was  really  on  her  way  home  on 
board  an  express  train  and,  as  she  listened  to 
the  sound  of  the  wheels,  while  the  train  sped 
over  the  rails,  she  was  glad  that  every  revolu- 
tion was  bringing  her  nearer  her  destination. 

With  a cordial  welcome  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dick- 
son kissed  their  daughter  aff ectionately  as  they 
received  her  into  their  home  once  more.  They 
had  planned  very  carefully  for  her  education, 
and  V era  had  not  disappointed  them.  She  now 
stood  in  the  spacious  hall  of  her  palatial  home 
with  refinement,  culture  and  grace  marking 
everything  she  did,  to  the  great  delight  of  the 
indulgent  parents,  who  had  looked  forward  to 
this  moment  with  great  expectancy  through 
the  years. 

H er  father,  Lewis  W.  Dickson,  was  the  sole 
proprietor  of  the  largest  and  finest  department 


The  Elms,”  the  Dickson  Residence 


The  Reception  at  “ The  Elms” 


15 


store  in  the  city.  The  business  was  growing  by 
leaps  and  bounds,  promising  great  wealth  to 
its  owner,  if  the  saying  were  true  that  “coming 
events  cast  their  shadows  before.” 

He  was  a keen  business  man,  a liberal  phil- 
anthropist, a clean  politician,  a favorite  in 
society  and  a diplomat  in  the  church.  He  was 
envied  by  business  men,  as  he  held  the  respect 
of  all  who  knew  him  because  of  his  sterling 
qualities.  His  word  was  as  good  as  his  bond. 
He  was  admired  by  the  masses,  who  never 
knew  him  to  turn  a deaf  ear  to  a tale  of  woe,  or 
refuse  a helping  hand  to  the  needy.  Business 
was  never  too  pressing  for  Mr.  Dickson  to  be 
gracious  to  the  most  menial  stranger  who  came 
on  a legitimate  errand,  or  to  offer  advice  to  the 
dullest  clerk,  or  a word  of  encouragement  to 
the  struggling  youth.  He  took  his  employes 
on  their  merit,  and  paid  better  salaries  than 
any  other  employer  in  the  city.  When  asked 
why  he  did  so,  he  answered,  “I  do  not  want  to 
become  a despised  millionaire  who  makes  his 
money  by  the  sweat-system  and  hoards  it 
for  its  own  sake.  I want  the  entire  working 
force  to  enjoy  it  with  me.” 


16 


Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 


It  was  natural  for  Vera’s  young  friends  to 
decide  she  had  been  born  with  a silver  spoon 
in  her  mouth,  while  the  more  venerable  said, 
“The  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in  pleasant  places ; 
yea,  I have  a goodly  heritage”  (Psalm  16:  6) . 

“Come  right  up  to  your  room,  Vera,”  said 
her  mother,  as  she  led  the  way  up  the  wide  stair- 
case, “you  will  require  a good  rest  as  we  are 
having  a grand  reception  tonight  in  your  honor, 
and  the  most  delightful  people  of  the  city  are 
to  be  present  to  welcome  you.” 

Care-free  Vera,  who  was  always  bright  and 
happy,  was  soon  fast  asleep.  When  she  awoke 
she  found  preparations  for  the  reception  in  full 
swing,  so  the  only  work  assigned  to  her  was 
to  look  after  her  girl  friends,  Madge  Wendall 
and  Louise  Roper,  who  were  to  receive  with 
her. 

The  girls  arrived  early  and  were  busy  dis- 
cussing their  beautiful  bouquets  when  Mrs. 
Dickson  announced  that  the  guests  were  begin- 
ning to  arrive,  and  she  directed  them  to  take 
their  places  beside  her  in  the  drawing  room. 

Vera  looked  and  acted  like  a very  queen 
among  women,  as  she  greeted  the  guests  of  the 


The  Reception  at  “The  Elms” 


17 


evening,  and  introduced  one  after  another  to 
her  fair  companions,  and  not  until  they  had 
partaken  of  some  refreshment,  did  she  accept 
Alick  Gordon’s  arm  to  go  to  the  dining  room. 

Alick  Gordon,  like  Vera,  had  not  long  re- 
turned from  college,  and  had  started  his  prac- 
tice of  law  with  one  of  the  best  firms  in  the  city. 
They  had  been  school  friends  for  some  years, 
and  had  kept  up  a correspondence  through 
their  college  days.  With  happy  expectations 
Alick  welcomed  his  erstwhile  companion  back 
to  her  home. 

“What  do  you  intend  doing  with  yourself 
now  that  you  are  home,  Vera?” 

“Oh!  make  the  best  of  what  pleasure  there 
is  in  this  quiet  city,”  answered  the  girl,  in  a 
most  unassuming  manner.  “I  will  play  tennis, 
golf  and  hockey  when  I can, — go  fishing  and 
riding  occasionally, — then  I will  have  cards, 
dances  and  plays  when  I want  indoor  sport ; I 
can  think  of  a hundred  and  one  ways  of  enter- 
taining and  being  entertained.  What  were  you 
thinking  of,  Alick?” 

“ J ust  this,  that  you  can  always  count  on  me 
and  any  help  I can  give  you,  no  matter  how 


18  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

busy  I am,”  answered  Alick,  in  his  big-hearted 
and  generous  way. 

“Capital,  Alick!  I thought  I could  depend 
on  your  assistance  in  our  plans,  and  I assure 
you,  I will  keep  you  busy,”  she  said  laughingly; 
“you  will  never  be  among  the  unemployed  so 
long  as  I am  around,”  and  they  were  soon  lost 
in  an  animated  talk  over  some  reminiscences  of 
the  past. 


CHAPTER  II 

The  New  Minister 

MRS.  DICKSON  was  a woman  of  the 
world,  much  loved  and  much  sought 
after,  and  the  company  assembled  at 
“The  Elms”  that  night  was  made  up  of  the 
elite  of  society.  They  praised  Mrs.  Dickson 
for  her  wisdom  in  ushering  her  daughter  into 
society  in  this  way,  and  commented  on  Vera’s 
love  for  entertaining  which  she  inherited  from 
her  mother. 

Vera  played  and  sang  in  such  a charming 
manner  that  everyone  present  felt  like  staying 
in  the  background  and  allowing  her  to  carry 
the  programme  through  herself.  One  man, 
who  sat  with  tears  streaming  down  his  cheeks 
while  she  sang  a simple  little  song,  said,  “She 
has  the  most  bewitching  voice  I ever  heard!” 
So  the  time  went  and  all  felt  sorry  when  one 
after  another  took  their  departure,  though  each 
one  went  home  feeling  that  some  fine  entertain- 
ments were  in  store  for  them  in  the  months  that 

[19] 


20 


Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

were  to  follow,  while  Vera  wras  just  herself, 
happy,  full  of  life  and  spirits,  and  desirous  that 
others  should  be  happy  also. 

Her  mother  followed  her  into  her  room  that 
night  and  looked  for  some  words  of  apprecia- 
tion from  her  daughter  and  she  was  not  disap- 
pointed, for  no  sooner  did  Vera  see  her  enter 
than  she  threw  her  arms  around  her  mother’s 
neck  and  kissed  her  again  and  again,  saying, 
“You  are  the  kindest,  dearest  mother  I ever 
heard  of,  and  it  is  so  nice  to  be  here  that  I wish 
my  school  days  had  been  over  long  ago,  so  that 
I could  have  enjoyed  all  these  good  things 
before  this.” 

“Well,  dear,  I am  glad  you  are  enjoying 
them  now,  but  this  is  only  a foretaste  of  what 
is  to  come.  Now  you  must  go  to  sleep  and  we 
will  talk  about  these  things  tomorrow.” 

It  was  time  for  lunch  before  anyone  made 
an  appearance  next  day;  after  a light  repast 
Mrs.  Dickson  and  her  daughter  entered  into  a 
conversation  of  such  absorbing  interest  to  both, 
that  neither  of  them  realized  how  many  hours 
had  passed  while  they  were  planning  a regu- 
lar programme  and  mapping  out  a round  of 


The  New  Minister 


21 


entertainments  of  various  kinds,  that  would 
keep  both  women  busy  for  many  months  to 
come. 

“There  is  just  one  thing,  Vera,  that  I want 
to  mention  while  we  are  making  our  plans,” 
said  Mrs.  Dickson, — “you  know  your  father  and 
I are  staunch  members  of  the  church,  but  we 
have  a new  minister,  Dr.  Archibald  Douglass, 
wrho  is  the  most  fanatical  person  I ever  heard, 
and  we  are  very  unsettled  at  present  about  our 
church  home.  We  may  take  our  letters  to 
another  church,  but,  in  the  meantime,  we  are 
undecided,  as  our  church  has  all  the  best  fam- 
ilies whom  we  know  and  there  are  few  people 
of  any  consequence  in  the  churches  near  us,  so 
probably  we  have  to  remain  and  make  the  best 
of  a bad  bargain ; those  who  voted  for  this  man 
are  the  plebean  of  our  congregation  who  are 
usually  the  trouble-makers  in  any  denomi- 
nation.” 

“But  mother,  he  is  an  educated  man  and  I 
cannot  understand  why  he  caters  to  that  class 
of  people,”  said  Vera,  in  a puzzled  manner. 

“Yes,  he  is  educated,  there  is  no  question 
about  that,  but  his  doctrines  are  troubling  the 


22  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

educated  people  in  the  congregation, — he  has 
such  peculiar  views.” 

“What  does  he  teach?” 

“He  is  most  imperious  about  amusements  in 
the  church,  and  you  know,  Vera,  we  have  held 
our  young  people  because  we  believe  in  enter- 
taining them.” 

“I  cannot  see  why  he  should  deprecate 
amusements  since  the  burden  of  them  is  not 
left  on  his  shoulders,”  said  Yera,  knowing  the 
amount  of  time  and  expense  her  mother  had 
prided  herself  in  putting  into  the  entertain- 
ments at  their  church. 

“That  is  just  what  we  have  told  him,  hut  he 
insists  that  his  programme  consists  of  preaching 
the  old-fashioned  gospel  without  compromise 
and  that  he  will  never  entertain  people  on  the 
road  to  destruction,  even  if  he  should  lose  every 
member  of  the  church.” 

“What  is  the  gospel  then,  if  he  leaves  amuse- 
ments out  of  the  question?” 

“That  is  what  I cannot  understand.  He 
believes,  he  says,  in  ‘Ruin  by  the  Fall,  Redemp- 
tion by  the  Blood  and  Regeneration  by  the 
Holy  Ghost’  and  although  an  educated  man  he 


The  New  Minister 


23 


holds  that  education  has  nothing  to  do  with 
salvation.  He  also  says  that  in  our  unsaved 
state  we  are  ‘amiable  children  of  wrath,  edu- 
cated heirs  of  hell,  accomplished  servants  of  the 
devil.’  That  education  is  a great  boon  and 
blessing  to  humanity  he  admits,  but  the  power 
of  God  alone  can  change  the  heart.  He  em- 
phasizes the  fact  that  educated  and  uneducated 
alike  must  experience  the  saving  change,  and 
accept  by  faith  the  Son  of  God  as  their  personal 
Saviour.” 

“I  fear  I could  not  believe  such  theology, 
mother,”  said  Vera,  her  fertile  brain  recalling 
the  teaching  of  her  college  days.  “A  man  who 
is  considered  one  of  the  very  best  theologians 
in  the  country  visited  our  school  not  long  ago 
and  lectured  on  theology,  and  he  said,  ‘Justifi- 
cation by  faith  is  an  antiquated  theory;  it  was 
good  enough  for  an  ignorant,  illiterate  man  like 
Abraham,  but  we  could  not  expect  educated,  re- 
fined, cultured  people  of  the  twentieth  century 
to  believe  that ; what  we  need  today,’  said  this 
worthy  theologian,  ‘is  education,  culture,  refine- 
ment, occupation,  and  that  is  what  the  world 
is  coming  to!’  So,  mother-mine,  I prefer  to 


24 


Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 


believe  my  theological  professor’s  views,  who 
thinks  the  church  is  the  custodian  of  our  morals, 
and  if  that  be  the  case,  I will  seek  the  highest 
standard  possible  for  myself  and  my  set  of 
friends,  and  also  the  help  of  the  church  to  live 
up  to  that  standard.” 

“Those  are  just  my  sentiments,  Vera,  and 
we  have  our  hands  full  as  we  seek  to  make 
changes  in  our  church  as  well  as  entertaining 
our  friends  in  the  future.” 


CHAPTER  III 


The  “Elmhurst”  Family 

THE  Gordon  property  adjoined  the  Dick- 
son estate  and  the  two  families  were  on 
very  friendly  terms,  though  Mrs.  Gordon 
was  a very  diff  erent  woman  from  Mrs.  Dickson. 
Mrs.  Gordon  was  a very  quiet,  retiring  char- 
acter who  was  seeking  to  please  God  in  every 
detail  of  her  life.  Those  who  wanted  her  por- 
trait could  open  their  Bibles  at  the  book  of 
Proverbs  and  in  the  thirty-first  chapter  was  the 
type  of  woman  to  be  found  at  “Elmhurst.” 

Her  husband,  Judge  Gordon,  was  an  exem- 
plary Christian  man,  a clear-cut  character  who 
stood  for  righteousness  and  had  no  compromise 
in  his  make-up.  Business  men  trusted  him; 
politicians  knew  they  could  not  buy  him ; trans- 
gressors of  the  country’s  laws  knew  justice 
would  be  meted  out  to  them  irrespective  of 
influence  or  social  standing. 

They  had  lived  a comparatively  quiet  life 
until  recently  when  their  son  Alick  had  re- 

125] 


26  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

turned  from  college  and  demanded  that  their 
house  should  be  open  to  his  particular  set  of 
friends,  some  of  whom  neither  the  Judge  nor 
Mrs.  Gordon  approved. 

A distant  relative  whose  parents  had  died, 
leaving  her  alone  in  the  world,  had  come  to  live 
with  them.  Jessie  Arnold,  like  her  friend  Mrs. 
Gordon,  was  a Christian,  who  not  only  pro- 
fessed to  be  a follower  of  Christ,  but  was  an 
ardent  worker  for  her  Master. 

Each  morning  after  breakfast  the  two  ladies 
met  in  the  library  to  read  a portion  of  Scrip- 
ture and  unite  in  prayer  to  the  One  whose  ear 
was  ever  open  to  their  cry.  The  duties  of  the 
day  seemed  as  nothing  after  this  time  of  sweet 
communion  and  both  took  up  their  respective 
duties  realizing  the  truth  of  the  words,  “my 
yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light”  (Matt. 
11:30). 

During  the  reading  one  lovely  morning, 
Mrs.  Gordon  looked  rather  sorrowful,  and  be- 
fore prayer  she  confided  her  sorrow  to  Miss 
Arnold. 

“Jessie,  I am  very  much  concerned  about 
Alick;  I fear  he  is  drifting,  and  my  greatest 


Elmhurst,”  the  Home  of  the  Gordons 


The  “ Elmhurst ” Family 


29 


fear  is,  that  he  is  becoming  fond  of  alcohol; 
have  you  thought  of  this?” 

Thus  interrogated,  Miss  Arnold,  always 
open  and  frank,  confirmed  Mrs.  Gordon’s 
fears. 

“He  rs  going  out  tonight  with  his  friends,” 
said  the  anxious  mother,  “and  I want  you  to 
pray  for  him.  Pledge-signing  is  no  use  to 
Alick ; what  he  needs  is  a change  of  heart,  and 
he  will  never  be  a success  in  the  professional 
world  until  he  has  experienced  the  saving 
power  of  God  in  his  life;  let  us  make  him  a 
special  subject  of  prayer.” 

That  evening  the  two  ladies  were  together 
once  more;  the  Judge,  who  was  tired  after  a 
hard  dav  in  court  and  who  had  another  strenu- 
ous  day  ahead,  had  retired  early.  Mrs.  Gordon 
watched  the  clock  anxiously;  soon  she  heard  a 
step  on  the  driveway  and,  rising  hurriedly,  said, 
“There  is  Alick;  I shall  go  upstairs  and  I wish 
you  would  remain  and  talk  to  him  about  his 
soul’s  salvation.” 

With  a prayer  for  wisdom  Miss  Arnold  com- 
plied with  her  friend’s  request  and  waited ; the 
door  opened  and  Alick  walked  in. 


30  Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 

“Hullo,  Jessie;  I am  surprised  to  find  you 
here.” 

“I  waited  for  you.” 

“That  was  unnecessary.” 

“Yes,  except  that  I wanted  to  talk  to  you.” 

“Going  to  preach  a sermon,  are  you?” 

“Not  exactly,  Alick,  but  I am  anxious  to 
know  when  you  are  going  to  surrender  to  the 
claims  of  Christ.” 

“Oh,  bother!  I never  think  about  such 
things.” 

“You  ought  to,  Alick;  you  are  grieving  the 
Spirit  of  God,  who  has  been  following  you  in 
convicting  power  through  the  years.” 

“Now  look  here,  Jessie,  I know  that  mother 
left  you  to  preach  to  me;  I suppose  she  thinks 
you  can  convert  me,  but  I want  you  to  know 
you  are  wasting  your  breath ; I never  could  be 
a Christian.” 

“Why  not,  Alick  ? You  must  know  that  you 
are  breaking  your  mother’s  heart.” 

“That  may  be,  Jessie,  but  I cannot  be  a 
Christian.” 

“Do  you  think  that  the  Christ  who  has  saved 
and  satisfied  your  father  and  mother  cannot  do 
the  same  for  you?” 


The  “Elmhurst”  Family 


31 


“To  tell  the  truth,  Jessie, — I have  tried,  but 
all  in  vain.  I never  told  anyone  before,  but  I 
am  tired  of  the  life  I am  living,  and  I wish 
again  and  again  I could  live  differently,  but  it 
is  impossible.” 

“Yes,  in  your  own  strength,  but  not  if  you 
take  Christ  as  your  Saviour  and  have  the  power 
of  God  in  your  life.” 

“You  may  be  surprised  to  know  that  I have 
even  gone  down  on  my  knees  at  my  bedside  and 
have  done  just  what  you  say  I ought  to  do,  and 
thought  I was  saved,  for  I know  God’s  way  of 
salvation,  but  the  next  day  I could  not  pass  the 
saloon  no  matter  how  I tried ; can  you  explain 
that?” 

“Yes,  according  to  the  Bible  you  were  ‘led 
captive  by  the  devil  at  his  will’  and  you  had  to 
go  just  where  he  led  you,  which  goes  to  prove 
you  need  to  change  masters.  Why  not  take 
Jesus  Christ  for  your  master  and  by  God’s 
grace  serve  Him,  and  bring  the  peace  and  com- 
fort to  this  grand  old  home  that  nothing  else 
can  bring?” 

An  awful  struggle  ensued,  but  once  more 
God’s  Holy  Spirit  was  driven  away  grieved, 
and  Satan  got  the  victory. 


CHAPTER  IV 

An  Important  Matter 

IT  was  Sunday  morning  and  the  first  Lord’s 
Day  Vera  had  been  at  home  for  several 
years,  as  her  vacations  had  been  spent  with 
her  father  and  mother,  travelling  or  at  their 
summer  home,  so  that  she  wras  a comparative 
stranger  at  “The  Elms.” 

“Church  is  at  11  o’clock,  dear,  and  William 
will  take  us  in  the  car.” 

“All  right,  mother,”  and  Vera  hurried  off  to 
dress  for  church  as  she  had  done  many  times 
before  when  a much  smaller  girl  than  she  was 
in  the  day  in  question. 

The  ride  to  church  was  uneventful  but  pleas- 
ant. All  nature  seemed  to  recognize  this  day 
of  rest  and  gladness.  The  air  was  laden  with 
the  perfume  of  flowers,  the  sun  shone  in  all 
his  splendor,  the  birds  sang  their  sweetest  songs. 

To  be  sure  the  pews  were  no  longer  rented, 
but  there  was  a particular  one  that  was  always 
occupied  by  the  Dicksons  and  it  seemed  as 

[32] 


An  Important  Matter 


33 


though  no  one  else  dare  enter  that  pew,  nor  sit 
in  that  particular  place  to  worship,  so  to  this 
pew  Mr.  Dickson  led  the  way. 

Vera  was  full  of  curiosity;  she  had  heard  so 
much  about  this  strange  preacher  who  had  some 
way  or  other  been  called  to  preach  in  their 
church,  that  she  expected  to  see  some  kind  of 
monstrosity  in  the  place  of  their  former  pastor 
who  would  not  have  off  ended  Mrs.  Dickson  for 
worlds.  Instead,  she  saw  a young  man,  tall, 
well-built  and  fine-looking,  with  a mass  of  black 
hair,  and  blue  eyes  that  seemed  to  see  right  into 
the  souls  of  his  hearers.  His  square  chin  indi- 
cated great  determination  and  his  firmly-set 
jaw  looked  as  though  he  defied  men  or  devils 
when  God  revealed  to  him  some  truth  from  His 
word. 

“His  preaching  is  better  in  the  mornings,” 
whispered  Mrs.  Dickson,  “I  have  almost  de- 
cided to  stop  coming  at  night,  as  he  makes  one 
feel  so  uncomfortable.” 

Vera  enjoyed  the  preliminary  part  of  the 
service,  as  she  was  fond  of  music,  and  that 
church  was  famed  for  having  the  best  talent 
that  money  could  procure.  Then  came  the  ser- 


34  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

mon,  when  the  minister  took  for  his  theme, 
“Service,”  basing  his  remarks  on  the  words 
“Go  wrork  today  in  my  vineyard”  (Matt. 
21:28). 

He  showed  the  need  of  working  “today,” 
for  the  night  cometh  when  no  man  can  work, 
and  urged  all  the  real  children  of  God  to  get 
into  harness  for  their  Master,  and  obey  His 
command.  The  speaker  was  eloquent ; his  audi- 
ence hung  on  his  words,  and  the  power  that 
accompanied  them  seemed  to  grip  his  hearers, 
sending  them  forth  to  be,  no  longer  idlers,  but 
“laborers  together  with  God”  (1  Cor.  3:9). 

Vera  listened  very  attentively,  but  for  some 
reason  a great  deal  of  what  was  said  was  incom- 
prehensible to  her.  Being  enamored,  however, 
with  the  preaching,  she  determined  to  take  a 
class  in  Sunday-school  and  so  do  something  to 
obey  the  command  that  had  been  so  clearly  her- 
alded forth  that  morning. 

The  service  was  not  mentioned  until  the 
Dickson  family  was  seated  at  the  lunch  table, 
when  Vera  announced  her  intention  and  in- 
quired how  she  should  go  about  the  work.  Her 
mother,  who  was  not  only  a leader  in  society. 


An  Important  Matter 


35 


but,  who,  since  she  came  as  a bride  to  “The 
Elms,”  had  been  a leader  in  the  church  also, 
had  no  difficulty  in  directing  her  to  the  right 
person,  feeling  rather  proud  of  her  daughter 
for  following  her  mother’s  example  in  combin- 
ing pleasure  in  the  world  with  service  in  the 
church. 

Vera,  according  to  her  mother’s  suggestion, 
went  to  see  the  officials  of  the  church.  She 
made  her  request  and  the  following  Sunday 
was  installed  in  a class  of  ten  fine  boys,  ranging 
from  fifteen  to  nineteen  years  of  age. 

The  boys  were  delighted,  and  all  the  more  so 
when  they  found  their  young  teacher  so  charm- 
ingly natural  and  unassuming,  and  so  appar- 
ently free  from  fanaticism.  They  immediately 
decided  they  were  going  to  have  a good  time  in 
their  class  in  the  coming  days,  and  they  were 
not  disappointed,  for  their  teacher  had  her 
mother’s  ability  to  entertain,  and  no  class  in  all 
that  large  school  was  so  fortunate — so  the  boys 
thought — as  class  No.  3.  Never  a week  passed 
but  Vera  had  some  new  entertainment  planned 
for  her  boys,  and  she  herself  joined  them  in  all 
their  pleasures.  With  the  help  of  Alick  Gor- 


36  Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 

don  and  some  of  her  friends  in  the  city,  her 
programmes  were  considered  by  entertainers  a 

very  unusual  and  extraordinary  type. 

* * * * * * * 

Two  long  rings  had  failed  to  bring  anyone 
to  the  telephone  at  the  Dickson  residence,  and 
Vera,  who  was  disturbed  in  her  reading,  went 
herself,  and  sitting  down  on  the  chair  at  her 
mother’s  desk,  raised  the  receiver. 

“Hullo.” 

“Vera?” 

“Yes,  Alick.” 

“I’m  coming  over  to  see  you.” 

“All  right.” 

“I  have  a very  important  matter  to  ask  you 
about  and  must  get  it  off  my  mind.” 

“Come  right  over  then.” 

“Goodbye.” 

“Goodbye,”  and  she  hung  up  the  receiver. 
That  was  nothing  unusual  since  there  was 
a perfect  understanding  between  the  young 
people  that  some  day  they  would  be  united  in 
holy  matrimony,  and  the  parents  in  both  homes 
were  well  satisfied  with  the  arrangement. 


An  Important  Matter 


37 


V era  was  just  wondering  what  the  important 
matter  was  when  Alick  walked  in  unannounced 
and  greeted  her.  They  laughed  gaily  and  chat- 
ted for  a time  and  then  remembering  the  “im- 
portant matter,”  she  said,  “Now,  young  man, 
what  is  it  that  gives  you  trouble?” 

“It  is  a matter  that  is  not  pleasant  to  handle.” 

“For  you  or  for  me?”  said  Vera  in  a banter- 
ing way. 

“For  both,”  replied  Alick,  with  so  much  ear- 
nestness that  Vera  thought  there  was  trouble 
brewing  somewhere. 

“Proceed.” 

“What  is  your  idea  about  card-playing, 
Vera?” 

“Why  do  you  ask  that  question?”  asked  Vera, 
surprised  at  the  introduction  to  the  unpleasant 
discussion. 

“Well,  it  is  just  like  this,  Vera, — our  people 
are  strong  against  cards  and  I was  more  than 
surprised  that  you  used  them  here  as  part  of 
the  entertainment  for  your  Sunday-school 
class.” 

She  had  turned  very  pale,  but  as  her  lips 
took  a resolute  curve  she  faced  the  issue  and 


38 


Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 

answered  decisively,  “I  see  no  harm  in  playing 
cards  at  any  time;  my  boys  enjoy  it  and  I see 
no  reason  why  I should  not  give  them  all  the 
pleasure  possible  so  as  to  hold  them  for  the 
Sunday-school  and  also  for  the  church.” 

“Supposing  they  should  become  gamblers, 
which  is  an  argument  used  today  against 
cards.” 

“That  could  never  be,”  she  said  with  great 
excitement.  “My  boys  are  splendid;  none  of 
them  have  a desire  to  go  farther  than  I tell 
them  in  regard  to  cards ; besides  I have  no  faith 
in  men  who  cannot  play  a game  of  cards  occa- 
sionally without  becoming  gamblers.” 

“Supposing  you  were  engaged  to  one  of 
those  boys  and  he  actually  became  a gambler, 
would  you  marry  him?” 

“Certainly  not ! I would  have  nothing  to  do 
with  a man  who  could  not  be  as  temperate  in 
this  as  in  everything  else.” 

Alick  hung  his  head  and  was  lost  in  thought 
for  a few  minutes,  while  Vera  watched  him 
closelv. 

“That  is  all  I wanted  to  know,  Vera.  Our 
folks  have  such  strong  convictions  about  these 


An  Important  Matter 


39 


things  that  I was  anxious  to  know  your  mind, 
and  determined  to  find  out  before  it  would 
trouble  me  further.” 

“Were  you  really  troubled,  Alick?” 

“Yes,  I was,  but  since  I know  your  opinion 
I feel  wonderfully  relieved  as  I have  such  con- 
fidence in  you  and  value  your  judgment  in  this 
as  in  many  other  things.  You  are  such  an  ad- 
mirable character,  Vera;  so  anxious  to  help 
others ; doing  everything  in  your  power  for  hu- 
manity and  yet  not  a bit  narrow-minded.  You 
know,  Vera,  my  mother  is  one  of  the  best 
women  in  the  world,  but  she  is  so  narrow  along 
these  lines  that  a fellow  has  no  liberty  in  enter- 
ing into  modern  amusements  whatever.” 


CHAPTER  V 


The  Itinerant  Preacher 

S<T  W ONDER  why  we  should  he  bored  with 
special  services  in  our  church,”  said  Mrs. 

JL  Dickson,  when  she  was  seated  at  the  lunch 
table  one  Sunday  after  the  morning  service. 

Dr.  Archibald  Douglass,  a fearless  evan- 
gelistic preacher  who  dared  to  do  things  for 
God  in  the  face  of  opposition  from  the  unspir- 
itual members  of  his  congregation,  had  an- 
nounced that  morning  that  a friend  of  his,  who 
had  returned  from  an  evangelistic  tour  of  the 
world,  was  to  spend  a week  or  two  with  him, 
and  the  officials  had  consented  to  let  him  preach 
in  a short  series  of  meetings.  This  svas  what 
drew  forth  the  criticism  of  Mrs.  Dickson,  who 
continuing,  said,  “I  feel  it  is  an  imposition  to 
heap  up  expenses  when  we  are  paying  a large 
salary  already  to  our  pastor  and  expect  him  to 
do  the  work.  We  do  not  need  an  evangelist  in 
our  church;  let  him  go  to  the  rescue  missions 
and  talk  to  the  ribald  habitues  there;  to  bring 

[40] 


The  Itinerant  Preacher 


41 


him  to  our  church  to  convert  us  is  an  insult  to 
the  staunch  members  of  our  congregation  who 
built  the  church  and  have  supported  it  so  loy- 
ally and  nobly  through  the  years.  I have  no 
sympathy  with  such  a move ; I fear  we  have  the 
wrong  man  for  our  pastor  this  time,  and  any- 
thing I can  do  to  have  him  removed  you  may 
rest  assured  I will  do  it,  and  will  not  fail  to 
greet  his  departure  with  acclamation.” 

Vera,  who  never  was  regarded  as  capricious, 
was  very  thoughtful  and  her  mother  turned  to 
her  with  the  query,  “Are  you  going  tonight?” 

“Yes,  mother,  I shall  go;  you  see  my  opin- 
ions are  not  fixed  like  yours.  My  knowledge 
of  church  work  is  very  fragmentary  and  I pre- 
fer to  hear  for  myself  in  order  to  be  better  able 
to  discuss  the  matter  intelligently.” 

Mrs.  Dickson  demurred  somewhat  at  first, 
but  reassured  by  her  daughter’s  reference  to 
her  intelligence,  she  said,  “You  have  always 
been  a very  sensible,  level-headed  girl  whom  no 
fanatical  preaching  could  lead  astray,  there- 
fore it  will  be  perfectly  safe  for  you  to  attend 
and  study  the  thing  through,  and  I venture  to 
say  you  will  agree  with  me  as  to  the  type  of 


42  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

people  this  kind  of  preaching  is  intended  for.” 

So  Vera  went  that  night,  and  the  message 
seemed  so  straight  from  the  Word  of  God  that 
it  went  right  home  to  her  susceptible  heart. 
There  was  no  sign  of  fanaticism  about  the 
preacher  but  an  earnestness  that  made  Vera 
feel  he  knew  what  he  was  talking  about. 

The  text  was  Genesis  3 : 9,  “Where  art  thou  ?” 
and  the  preacher  put  the  question  to  Christians, 
backsliders,  and  sinners.  His  points  were  well 
illustrated  and  applied  to  his  hearers;  he  did 
not  talk  to  people  who  were  not  there,  but 
right  to  the  heart  of  each  person  present,  re- 
minding Vera  of  Daniel  Webster,  who  said, 
“When  I listen  to  a speaker  I like  to  feel  that 
he  is  making  it  to  me  a personal  matter.” 

She  went  home  impressed  and  very  thought- 
ful and  as  she  knelt  at  her  bedside  that  night 
she  could  hear  again  and  again  the  clear,  rich, 
bell-like  voice  of  the  preacher,  asking  the  ques- 
tion, “Where  art  thou?” 

She  attended  very  regularly  for  several 
nights,  becoming  more  and  more  impressed. 
It  seemed  as  though  the  preacher  knew  her 
thoughts  and  that  some  one  must  have  told 


The  Itinerant  Preacher  43 

him  her  life  story;  more  than  once  she  felt 
inclined  to  ask  him  why  he  singled  her  out  in 
all  that  vast  audience  and  preached  to  her  alone. 

It  was  all  new  to  Vera  and  she  wished  the 
application  could  be  expunged  from  his  ser- 
mons, as  that  troubled  her  more  than  his  argu- 
ments and  caused  her  to  toss  about  on  her 
pillow  for  hours  at  a time,  resulting  in  a decision 
more  than  once,  never  to  return  to  the  meet- 
ings, only  to  find  herself  there  the  next  night 
as  one  of  his  most  interested  listeners. 

One  night  he  made  special  reference  to  card- 
playing and  urged  the  people  to  drop  the  use 
of  cards  and  “Yield  themselves  unto  God,”  sav- 
ing,  with  facile  ease  and  certainty,  as  he  re- 
ferred them  to  the  Word  of  God,  that  when 
they  belonged  to  the  Lord  they  would  not  need 
to  go  down  to  Egypt  for  help  (Isa.  31 : 1) , not 
even  to  amuse  their  friends  nor  entertain  their 
visitors ; they  would,  rather,  employ  their  pre- 
cious time  in  the  service  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  go 
out  seeking  to  bring  others  from  the  bondage 
of  sin  to  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of 
God. 


44  Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 

Vera,  who  was  an  adept  card  player,  know- 
ing that  her  mother  had  all  arrangements  made 
for  a great  whist  party  the  following  week, 
and  that  many  of  the  people  present  were  in- 
vited, thought  this  was  a reflection  upon  her 
mother,  so,  Naaman-like,  she  went  away  in  a 
rage  and  did  not  study  the  movement  to  its 
finale  as  she  had  previously  intended  to  do. 


CHAPTER  YI 
Hurt  Feelings 

MRS.  DICKSON,  who  looked  askance 
at  all  evangelistic  work,  had  very  qui- 
etly planned  a trip  to  a distant  city  to 
visit  friends,  but  especially  to  get  away  from 
the  meetings.  She  was  too  much  of  a lady  to 
openly  protest,  so  she  decided  that  to  ignore 
the  effort  would  hurt  the  minister  more  than 
to  argue  the  point  about  the  advisability  of 
having  such  services. 

Vera,  therefore,  was  practically  alone,  and 
feeling  she  wanted  to  unburden  her  heart  to 
someone,  she  made  her  way  through  the 
grounds  to  a little  gate  that  led  into  the  Gordon 
demesne  and  soon  she  was  looking  into  a sum- 
mer house  where  she  thought  she  would  find 
Miss  Arnold ; she  had  discovered  that  that  fine 
Christian  woman  betook  herself  daily  to  a quiet 
spot  where  she  could  spend  some  time  undis- 
turbed with  the  most  congenial  society  she 
knew,  namely,  her  Lord  and  His  Word. 

[45] 


46  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

The  summer  house  looked  like  a miniature 
library  and  Miss  Arnold  was  seated  at  the  table 
enjoying  herself  as  she  pored  over  her  open 
Bible. 

“Good  morning.  Miss  Arnold,”  said  Vera,  as 
she  bounded  in. 

“Good  morning,  Miss  Vera,  you  gave  me 
quite  a start ; I did  not  realize  my  hiding-place 
had  been  discovered  and  I did  not  even  hear 
you  coming.” 

“Too  much  engrossed  in  your  reading,  per- 
haps.” 

“I  was  enjoying  my  portion  very  much,” 
said  Miss  Arnold,  as  she  laid  her  hand  caress- 
ingly on  the  open  Bible. 

“I  thought  so;  you  seemed  oblivious  to  every- 
thing else,”  said  Vera. 

“You  look  as  though  something  is  troubling 
you  this  morning.  May  I ask  what  it  is?” 

“You  guessed  aright;  there  is  something 
troubling  me  and  that  is  why  I came  here  for  a 
little  ‘confabulation’  with  you.” 

“Nothing  wrong  at  home,  I hope,  Miss 
Vera.” 


Hurt  Feelings 


47 


“Oh  no!”  she  said  laughingly,  “I  have  no 
home  troubles.  You  may  think  it  strange  but 
I am  troubled  about  the  meetings.” 

“I  thought  you  were  enjoying  them;  you 
seemed  so  much  interested.” 

“That  is  so;  I was  very  much  interested  until 
last  night.” 

“And  what  happened  then?” 

“The  preacher  came  out  so  strongly  against 
card-playing.” 

“Was  he  wrong  in  so  doing?” 

“Perhaps  not;  but  everyone  does  not  agree 
with  him  on  that  question.” 

“You  would  not  expect  him  to  compromise 
even  though  he  knew  that,  would  you?” 

“He  could  at  least  have  left  the  question 
open,”  said  Vera,  warming  up  to  her  subject. 
“I  do  not  see  what  that  has  to  do  with  the 
gospel  anyway.” 

“Would  not  that  in  itself  be  compromising?” 

“I  knew  you  would  not  agree  with  me,  hut  I 
want  you  to  know  that  I am  completely  dis- 
gusted with  the  whole  thing,  and  I have  made 
up  my  mind  never  to  go  back  while  he  is  in 
this  city.” 


48  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

“But,  dear,  he  did  not  say  anything  that  is 
not  true.” 

“That  may  be,”  said  Vera,  “but  our  min- 
ister knows  that  part  of  the  entertainment  at 
our  house  is  cards,  that  I bring  my  Sunday- 
school  boys  there  occasionally  for  a game  of 
cards,  and  our  people  are  among  the  best  con- 
tributors to  the  church  funds,  and  to  bring  a 
stranger  here  to  criticise  us  to  our  faces  is  going 
too  far.  I feel  justified  in  the  stand  I take. 
It  is  just  as  mother  said,  ‘These  special  meet- 
ings are  all  right  for  rescue  missions,  but  not 
for  a church  like  ours.’  ” 

“You  are  not  going  to  leave  the  church  over 
it,  are  you?”  said  Miss  Arnold,  fearing  the 
family  would  drift  from  the  gospel  that  was 
being  given  in  all  its  simplicity. 

“No,”  said  Vera  thoughtfully.  “I  shall  keep 
my  class  and  continue  my  church  work  just  the 
same  as  before,  but  will  be  conspicuous  by  my 
absence  at  special  services  in  future.” 

Tears  were  in  Miss  Arnold’s  eyes  and  Vera 
thought  she  had  said  too  much,  so  when  she  had 
finished  her  little  speech  she  arose  to  go,  and, 
slipping  her  arm  around  Miss  Arnold’s  shoul- 


Hurt  Feelings 


49 


ders,  she  kissed  her  affectionately  and  said, 
“There!  I did  not  mean  to  trouble  you  with 
all  my  worries,  and  I shall  leave  you  before  I 
do  any  more  harm.” 

Miss  Arnold  smiled  through  her  tears  and 
could  only  answer,  “I  will  pray  for  you.  Miss 
Vera;  the  Lord  has  something  greater  for  you 
to  do.”  But  not  realizing  the  meaning  of  that 
sentence,  Vera  went  off  feeling  better  since 
she  had  confided  her  troubles  to  someone  else. 


CHAPTER  VII 


The  Card  Party 

MRS.  DICKSON  was  very  much  inter- 
ested in  what  happened  during  her 
absence.  She  was  not  long  home  until 
she  discovered  Vera’s  decision  about  the  cards 
and  her  joy  knew  no  bounds  when  she  learned 
that  once  more  she  and  her  daughter  saw  eye 
to  eye  with  each  other. 

“You  were  perfectly  right,  my  dear,”  she 
said,  as  she  patted  Vera  on  the  arm.  “I  am 
more  than  proud  of  a daughter  who  cannot  he 
led  astray  by  such  fanatics  as  are  brought  to 
our  church  these  days.” 

Then  as  the  days  went  by  and  the  loquacious 
ladies  told  of  the  happenings  in  the  church  dur- 
ing the  visit  of  this  strange  evangelist,  Mrs. 
Dickson’s  placid  anger  gave  way  to  a more 
furious  kind  and  she  scolded,  talked,  planned, 
and  even  threatened  until  she  almost  made 
Vera  sorry  she  had  taken  the  step  she  did. 


The  Card  Party 


51 


“The  idea,”  said  Mrs.  Dickson  to  a caller  one 
day,  as  the  conversation  turned  quickly  to  the 
only  topic  that  seemed  to  tickle  the  ears  of  her 
set,  “of  our  circle  of  friends  being  dubbed  as 
gamblers  because  we  give  prizes  at  our  clubs 
and  card  parties,  and  to  think  that  our  church 
which  we  helped  to  organize  and  for  which  we 
have  worked  so  hard,  should  at  this  time  in  its 
history  have  a minister  who  would  dare  to  bring 
a man  to  insult  our  members  by  talking  about 
our  innocent  amusements,  and  do  everything 
but  call  out  our  names.  I wonder  what  religion 
is  coming  to?  I presume  the  time  will  soon 
come  when  we  will  not  be  permitted  by  the 
church  to  do  anything  but  eat,  work  and  sleep. 
Presently  the  discipline  will  be  so  fixed  that  we 
will  not  be  able  to  worship  there  unless  we  see 
eye  to  eye  with  every  Tom,  Dick,  and  Harry 
of  an  evangelist  who  happens  to  come  our  way. 
I do  not  believe  in  such  tommy-rot.  I believe 
in  attending  church  and  supporting  it  as  an 
institution,  but  I also  believe  in  personal  liberty 
and  feel  perfectly  free  to  do  as  I please  outside 
the  doors  of  the  sanctuary.” 


52 


Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 


“Now  daughter,”  she  said  to  Vera,  who  was 
just  returning  from  a ride,  “just  to  show  your 
good  sense  I want  you  to  come  and  help  me 
select  the  prizes  for  our  party.  We  will  have 
the  very  best  and  many  of  them,  just  to  get 
even  with  that  sanctimonious  Dr.  Douglass 
who  thought  he  did  such  a good  thing  in  hitting 
us  indirectly  for  our  card-playing.” 

So  it  came  to  pass  that  never  had  there  been 
such  a party  in  the  city  and  never  such  prizes 
off ered  as  were  carried  away  by  the  fortunate 
ladies  who  did  not  agree  with  the  pastor  of 
that  aristocratic  congregation. 

But  in  the  well-furnished  pastor’s  study  sat 
Dr.  Douglass  brooding  over  his  many  troubles, 
not  the  least  of  which  was  the  opposition  he  had 
to  face  from  the  most  prominent  members  of 
his  church,  and  on  bended  knees  he  pleaded  with 
God  to  awaken  and  save  these  same  women 
who  could  be  a power  for  God  in  leading  others 
into  the  paths  of  righteousness,  if  they  them- 
selves were  fully  surrendered  to  the  claims  of 
Jesus  Christ.  As  he  again  surrendered  his 
own  life,  he  asked  for  grace  to  be  kept  true  and 
loyal  to  his  convictions  and  to  his  God  as  one 


The  Card  Party 


53 


of  His  appointed  shepherds,  who  was  laboring 
not  to  please  men,  but  with  a single  eye  to  the 
glory  of  God. 

That  evening  he  was  going  to  teach  a com- 
pany of  young  men  and  young  women  whom 
the  Lord  had  helped  to  bring  together  in  an 
organized  Bible  class  and  who  had  learned  the 
power  of  a separated  life.  They  loved  their 
teacher  as  children  love  a father,  for  many  of 
them  had  definitely  surrendered  to  the  claims 
of  Christ  under  his  ministry,  while  all  of  them 
had  been  led  into  the  deeper  truths  of  the  Word 
of  God  and  were  now  actively  engaged  in  the 
work  of  soul-winning.  When  he  reached  the 
meeting-place  he  found  them  talking  in  groups, 
and  there  was  a little  more  difficulty  than  usual 
in  bringing  the  meeting  to  order.  The  grand 
old  song  written  by  Dr.  A.  J.  Gordon  was  sung 
in  a very  prayerful  spirit : 

“Help  me  to  be  holy, 

0 Father  of  light; 

Guilt-burdened  and  lowly, 

1 bow  in  Thy  sight; 

How  shall  a stained  conscience, 

Dare  gaze  on  Thy  face? 

E’en  though  in  Thy  presence 
Thou  grant  me  a place. 


54 


Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

“Help  me  to  be  holy, 

O Saviour  divine; 

Why  conquer  so  slowly 
This  nature  of  mine? 

Stamp  deeply  Thy  likeness 
Where  Satan’s  hath  been; 

Expel  with  Thy  brightness 
My  darkness  and  sin! 

“Help  me  to  be  holy, 

O Spirit  divine; 

Come,  sanctify  wholly 
This  temple  of  Thine; 

Now  cast  out  each  idol, 

Here  set  up  Thy  throne. 

Reign,  reign  without  rival, 
Supreme  and  alone!” 


Then  the  president  of  the  class  said:  “I  feel 
led  to  ask  Dr.  Douglass  to  change  the  course 
of  this  meeting  tonight.  My  heart  is  grieved 
when  I think  of  the  people  belonging  to  this 
church  who  are  ‘lovers  of  pleasure  more  than 
lovers  of  God.’  We,  who  have  been  attending 
these  Bible  classes  have  learned  to  know  a little 
of  ‘the  depths  of  the  riches  of  His  grace’  as  we 
have  been  privileged  to  study  under  the  faith- 
ful teaching  of  our  pastor  and  we  can  under- 
stand, in  a little  measure,  the  burden  he  is 
carrying  as  he  seeks  to  lead  us  on  for  God  in  the 


55 


The  Card  Party 

face  of  opposition  from  the  influential,  but  un- 
spiritual members  of  this  church.  I feel  that 
we,  too,  have  a responsibility  in  this  matter,  and 
must  shoulder  the  burden,  helping  our  pastor 
by  our  prayers,  sympathy  and  hearty  co-opera- 
tion. While  his  heart  is  sad  tonight — judging 
from  our  own  feelings — I propose  that  we  have 
a prayer  meeting  instead  of  our  regular  Bible 
study  class,  and  that  we  ask  God  definitely  to 
save  the  society  leaders  in  this  church  and  also 
in  the  community.  All  who  are  in  favor  of 
turning  this  meeting  into  an  old-fashioned 
prayer  meeting  for  the  purpose  of  waiting 
upon  God,  raise  your  hand.”  Every  hand  went 
up  and,  turning  to  the  pastor,  he  said:  “Dr. 
Douglass,  we  turn  the  meeting  over  to  you  to 
conduct  it  as  you  are  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
but  please  remember  that  we  are  with  you  in 
the  stand  you  take  against  sin,  and  we  are  de- 
termined to  be  loyal  to  Jesus  at  all  costs.” 

Glad  to  know  he  could  at  least  count  on  this 
company  of  young  people  to  “pray  through” 
until  the  devil  was  defeated,  he  dispensed  with 
the  lesson,  and  together  they  knelt  to  fight  a 
battle  with  “principalities  and  powers  in  heav- 


56  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

enly  places”  (Eph.  6: 12),  that  was  going  to 
give  victory  to  the  hosts  of  the  Lord  in  the  near 
future,  for  little  did  they  realize  how  soon  their 
prayers  would  be  answered  in  God’s  way  which 
is  always  far  more  “abundantly  than  we  can 
ask  or  think.” 


CHAPTER  VIII 


Gambling 

MRS.  GORDON  was  becoming  more 
and  more  worried  about  Alick.  She 
had  recently  learned  that  one  of  his 
friends  had  lost  all  his  money  in  gambling  and 
had  gone  away  from  the  city.  Although  Alick 
did  not  tell  his  mother  so,  she  was  convinced  in 
talking  the  matter  over  with  him,  that  only  one 
of  the  young  men  had  drifted  to  the  gambling 
dens. 

As  the  days  went  by,  however,  it  became 
more  and  more  apparent  that  Alick  could  not 
get  enough  money,  and  naturally  he  always 
came  to  his  mother.  It  seemed  as  though  he 
was  spending  his  own  income  and  that  of  his 
father  as  well,  and  then  he  was  not  satisfied. 
This  condition  of  affairs  alarmed  Mrs.  Gordon 
and  when  her  husband  told  her  something  had 
gone  wrong  with  his  books,  and  money  was 
missing  that  had  been  entrusted  to  him  for  in- 
vestment, she  concluded,  with  her  womanly 

[57] 


53  Vera  Dicksons  Triumph 

intuition,  that  more  than  one  young  man  had 
left  the  so-called  innocent  amusement  in  the 
homes  of  church  members,  to  join  the  ranks  of 
those  who  frequent  the  gambling  dens  of  the 
world.  Therefore  she  paid  a secret  visit  to  the 
office  of  her  husband  and  together  they  went 
over  the  books  to  try  to  unravel  the  mystery. 
Y es,  it  was-  only  too  true,  the  m'oney  had  been 
taken,  and  strange  to  say  just  the  amount  that 
they  had  learned  the  other  young  man  had  lost. 
This  startling  revelation  confirmed  what  they 
had  feared  for  some  time,  proving  that  their 
boy  had  been  a partner  in  sin  with  his  com- 
panion who  had  left  the  country  several  months 
ago. 

Next  morning  Miss  Arnold  was  preparing 
to  come  down  for  the  morning  worship,  which, 
for  a reason  unknown  to  her,  had  been  post- 
poned until  eleven  o’clock.  It  was  now  ten 
forty- five  and  a knock  at  her  door  made  her 
think  she  was  wanted  down  stairs,  when  Mrs. 
Gordon  appeared  with  a strained,  anxious  look 
in  her  face. 


Gambling 


59 


“Don’t  come  down  stairs  until  Alick  leaves,” 
said  the  sad-faced  mother  and  walked  out  again 
without  waiting  for  an  answer. 

Miss  Arnold  waited  half  an  hour  and  then, 
hearing  the  door  close  and  someone  walk  down 
the  driveway,  she  decided  Alick  had  gone,  so 
she  slipped  down  and  quietly  opened  the  library 
door  and  to  her  surprise  there  he  stood,  his 
elbow  on  the  mantel-piece,  his  head  on  his  hand, 
and  tears  falling  on  the  rug  at  his  feet.  His 
mother  stood  beside  him  waiting,  and  the  an- 
swer she  was  asking  for  came, — “Yes,  mother, 
I did  it.” 

Jessie  Arnold  closed  the  door  as  quietly  as 
she  had  opened  it,  feeling  that  this  was  no  place 
for  intruders.  She  was  not  surprised  when 
later  Mrs.  Gordon  told  her  she  had  accused 
Alick  of  theft,  and  that  he  had  confessed,  so 
like  his  friend  he,  too,  had  gone  away  without 
saying  goodbye  to  anyone,  not  even  to  Yera, 
for  had  she  not  told  him  she  would  never  marry 
a man  who  was  not  strong  enough  to  play  cards 
without  gambling? 

Everything  was  hushed  up  and  kept  very 
quiet,  but  it  reached  the  Dickson  family  never- 


60  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

theless,  and  somehow  Vera  had  a guilty  con- 
science, as  over  and  over  again  would  rise 
before  her  a vision  of  Alick  when  he  came  to 
discuss  that  “important  matter.”  Her  own 
voice  seemed  to  mock  her  as  it  echoed  from  the 
past  telling  him  there  was  no  harm  in  card- 
playing, and  with  what  anguish  of  heart  she 
now  recalled, — what  she  thought  at  the  time  a 
compliment, — his  remark  that  she  was  not  so 
narrow  minded  as  his  mother. 

It  did  not  seem  judicial  to  visit  the  Gordon 
home  or  mention  Alick  even  to  Miss  Arnold 
since  they  seemed  so  reticent  that  no  one  could 
approach  them  on  the  subject,  so  poor  discon- 
solate Vera  carried  the  burden  alone,  and  fear- 
ful were  her  conjectures  as  to  the  fate  of  Alick, 
while  ever  and  anon  she  wished  she  could  undo 
the  past  and  bring  him  back  exonerated. 


CHAPTER  IX 


Deepening  Interest 

“ A CITY-WIDE  evangelistic  campaign! 

/%  What  will  we  have  next?”  said  Mrs. 
iTXDickson,  when  she  learned  that  the  lead- 
ing men  of  the  city  had  been  called  to  meet  the 
ministers  to  discuss  the  advisability  of  having  a 
united  effort  to  reach  the  entire  city  for  Jesus 
Christ. 

“I  think  it  is  a fine  thing,”  said  her  husband, 
who  had  been  appointed  treasurer  of  the  move- 
ment. “Single  church  efforts  are  no  longer 
reaching  the  non-church  going  people,  so  that 
the  only  hope  now  is  the  large  tabernacle  meet- 
ings which  break  down  denominational  preju- 
dice and  bring  together  all  classes  of  people  in 
the  hope  that  many  may  be  won  for  God.” 

Disconcerted  in  her  effort  to  frustrate  the 
plans  if  possible,  she  said  in  her  most  sarcastic 
way,  “You  speak  as  though  you  might  be  the 
first  to  ‘hit  the  trail.’  ” 

“Well  there  is  no  knowing  what  may  hap- 
pen before  this  thing  has  come  to  an  end,”  said 

[61  ] 


02  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

Mr.  Dickson,  as  he  smiled  at  his  wife’s  disap- 
proval of  the  whole  thing. 

So  the  weeks  that  followed  were  taken  up 
with  detail  work  in  preparation  for  the  forth- 
coming campaign.  Committees  were  formed, 
preliminary  work  started,  and  the  city  began 
to  hum  with  work  and  workers  to  make  the 
campaign,  so  far  as  organization  was  con- 
cerned, the  greatest  event  in  the  history  of  the 
city. 

Vera  was  appointed  chairman  of  the  young 
women’s  department  of  the  campaign,  and  she 
threw  her  whole  heart  and  soul  into  the  work, 
enlisting  the  sympathy  and  interest  of  high 
school,  college,  business,  and  society  girls.  She 
was  also  appointed  by  the  music  chairman 
as  special  mezzo-soprano  soloist  in  the  large 
chorus  choir  practicing  for  the  meetings. 

She  enjoyed  the  work  immensely  and  even 
her  mother  seemed  pleased  as  she  told  day  after 
day  of  her  success  in  creating  interest  and 
arousing  enthusiasm  in  the  young  womanhood 
of  the  city. 

Like  her  mother  she  had  an  abundance  of 
surplus  energy  and  this  work  afforded  ample 


I will  never  go  forward  in  that  tabernacle  to  make  a confession  of  my  faith  in  God' 


Deepening  Interest 


65 


opportunity  to  use  it  to  great  advantage  for 
the  betterment  of  humanity.  She  had  made  a 
special  study  of  the  social  and  civic  condi- 
tions in  the  city  and  had  helped  in  reform 
movements  to  reach  the  great  mass  of  poverty- 
stricken,  drink-besotted,  sin-soaked  human 
beings  around  her,  and  now  this  great  sweep- 
ing movement  to  bring  them,  as  she  expected, 
into  the  church,  appealed  to  her.  F arther  than 
that  Vera  never  went,  in  things  pertaining  to 
God. 

The  time  arrived  for  the  opening  of  the  cam- 
paign and  all  who  had  planned  and  worked  so 
hard  awaited  the  crucial  moment  with  great 
expectancy. 

Vera  was  in  her  place  in  the  huge  choir  loft, 
and  her  father,  as  a prominent  member  of  the 
executive  committee,  was  seated  behind  the 
ministers,  with  Mrs.  Dickson,  inexorable  as 
ever,  by  his  side.  J udge  Gordon  also  sat  near 
the  ministers;  he  was  chairman  of  the  enter- 
tainment committee  and  had  thrown  his  home 
open  for  the  evangelistic  party.  Since  there 
were  only  three  in  their  family  now,  they  found 
they  could  very  comfortably  use  one  wing  of 


66 


Vera  Dicksons  Triumph 


the  grand  old  home,  while  the  rest  of  the  house 
was  vacated  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the 
evangelists. 

Certainly  they  were  criticized,  but  both  the 
Judge  and  Mrs.  Gordon  had  prayed  about  the 
matter,  deciding  that  Philemon-like  they  could 
provide  a home  for  these  servants  of  God. 
Besides,  they  had  learned  from  the  Word  of 
God  that  His  true  servants  were  “given  to  hos- 
pitality” (Rom.  12:13),  so  they  were  com- 
pelled and  impelled  by  love  for  God  to  take 
care  of  His  children. 

The  music,  which  was  an  exceptionally 
strong  feature,  specially  interested  Vera.  The 
sermon,  couched  in  the  finest  language,  was  a 
strong  appeal  to  all  the  real  Christians  present. 
The  text  was  “I  beseech  you  therefore,  breth- 
ren, by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present 
your  bodies,  a living  sacrifice,  holy,  accept- 
able unto  God,  which  is  your  reasonable 
service”  (Rom.  12:1). 

The  most  fastidious  person  present  could 
not  but  be  pleased  as  the  evangelist,  a master 
of  his  subject,  carried  them  off  into  the  starry 
realms  and  pointed  out  God’s  power  in  keep- 


Deepening  Interest 


67 


ing  in  their  place,  planets,  constellations,  and 
millions  of  stars,  which  are  all  subject  to  Him, 
and  that  that  same  God,  speaking  through  His 
servant,  was  beseeching  them,  as  poor  wTorms 
of  the  dust,  to  “present  their  bodies,”  etc,  that 
He  might  use  them  for  His  own  glory.  It  was 
a heart-searching  message,  and  God’s  Holy 
Spirit  continued  to  speak  to  those  who  heard 
it  long  after  that  first  service  had  closed. 

Vera  and  her  father  felt  rather  glad  that 
they  had  entered  so  heartily  into  everything, 
while  the  Gordons  felt  no  sacrifice  was  too 
great  for  the  Lord  whom  they  were  seeking 
to  serve  faithfully  day  by  day,  but  Mrs.  Dick- 
son felt  rather  uneasy,  as  she  was  not  naturally 
a self-sacrificing  character  and  especially  had 
she  made  few  sacrifices  for  God. 

In  the  evening  the  tabernacle  was  crowded 
again  with  a most  auspicious  gathering,  and 
the  message  was  accompanied  by  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  all  who  were  interested 
felt  that  the  opening  meetings  promised  great 
things  for  the  coming  days  and  weeks. 

Vera  had  reasons  for  being  in  the  work  of 
this  campaign.  First,  it  would  lift  her  mind 


68  V era  Dickson  s Triumph 

for  the  time  being  off  the  great  trouble  that 
had  come  into  her  life;  second,  she  wanted  to 
set  a good  example  to  others  as  she  was  a 
recognized  leader  in  the  city,  and  third,  her 
musical  talents  could  be  used  to  great  advan- 
tage in  a special  way.  So  for  about  six  weeks, 
every  minute  of  every  day  was  filled  and  each 
day  seemed  to  bring  fresh  revelations. 

There  had  been  interest  at  the  beginning,  but 
the  interest  had  grown  until  people  were  talk- 
ing of  nothing  else;  no  other  movement  had 
been  comparable  in  magnitude  to  this.  With 
superiority  of  inumbers  in  faith  and  conse- 
cration the  campaign  against  sin  was  launched 
with  such  a concentration  of  energy  as  the 
city  had  never  seen.  Telephones  were  going 
continually  and  the  conversation  was  all — cam- 
paign. People  by  the  scores  and  hundreds  were 
meeting  in  groups  for  prayer  daily;  meetings 
were  being  held  in  shop  and  factory,  and, 
everywhere,  people  were  singing  campaign 
songs.  Men  on  the  cars  and  trains  were  talking 
campaign,  and  the  conductors  were  whistling 
some  grand  old  gospel  songs  as  they  went  about 
their  work.  Business  women  and  girls  by  the 


69 


Deepening  Interest 

hundreds  were  having  their  own  special  meet- 
ings, while  seats  were  reserved  for  them  at 
the  tabernacle ; business  men,  too,  were  meeting 
at  the  noon-hour  for  prayer.  Profanity  had 
ceased  in  some  workshops,  and  large  corpora- 
tions were  demanding  sober  men  in  their  firms. 
All  this  appealed  as  something  new  to  Vera 
who  had  never  before  seen  practical  Christian- 
ity brought  into  every-day  life. 

She  was  not  present  on  a particular  night 
when  the  invitation  was  extended  to  the  Chris- 
tians to  reconsecrate  their  lives  to  the  service  of 
Jesus  Christ;  but  as  splendid  types  of  the  best 
men,  socially  and  financially,  came  out  for 
Christ,  Vera’s  conscience  began  to  trouble  her, 
but  she  decided  it  would  be  too  humiliating, 
after  all  the  church  work  she  had  done,  to  come 
out  now  and  confess  that  she  had  never  before 
experienced  the  saving  change  in  her  heart 
and  life. 

There  was  one  fact,  however,  she  could  not 
close  her  eyes  to, — namely,  that  society  ladies 
who  were  singing  in  the  choir  and  workers  in 
the  audience  had  neither  surrendered  as  sin- 
ners, nor  had  they  consecrated  their  lives  as 


70  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

God’s  children,  and  many  times  over  Vera 
asked  herself  the  question,  “Are  they  waiting 
for  mother  or  me?” 

There  had  been  a great  deal  said  against 
card-playing  lately  and  she  and  her  mother  had 
decided  that  while  they  would  not  give  up  this 
form  of  entertainment  entirely,  they  would 
cease  to  give  prizes.  It  was  a salve  for  a guilty 
conscience  and  only  went  to  prove  that  a battle 
was  being  waged  in  each  breast,  but  so  far  no 
decisive  victory  had  been  won. 

The  dissatisfied  feelings  Vera  attributed  to 
the  days  and  nights  she  had  spent  wondering 
about  Alick,  and  as  she  saw  some  splendid  girls 
and  young  women  happy  in  the  love  of  Jesus 
and  rejoicing  in  a new-found  Savior,  she 
thought  if  they  had  the  burden  of  sorrow  she 
was  carrying,  even  salvation  could  not  make 
them  seem  happy;  so  while  she  sang,  worked 
and  planned  for  the  very  best,  so  far  as  organ- 
ization was  concerned,  she  was  the  most  miser- 
able person  in  all  that  large  campaign.  She 
had  learned  from  experience  that  service  was 
not  salvation,  that  no  amount  of  work  could 
bring  peace  to  a troubled  soul  and  she  was  long- 


Deepening  Interest 


71 


ing  for  a peace  the  world  could  not  give.  She 
had  spent  sleepless  nights  and  unhappy  days ; 
her  mother,  becoming  alarmed  when  she  noticed 
that  her  daughter  had  lost  her  appetite,  con- 
cluded Vera  was  working  too  hard  and  the 
strain  was  too  great  for  her  nervous  system; 
but  Vera  knew  better.  Her  trouble  was  not 
over-work,  nor  was  she  drawing  on  her  reserve 
nervous  energy,  but  there  was  a load  at  her 
heart  that  could  only  be  removed  by  the 
entrance  of  Jesus  Christ.  She  had  learned  that 
redemption  alone  could  lift  the  burden,  cleanse 
her  soul,  bring  peace  to  her  troubled  breast  and 
secure  her  for  the  heavenly  home ; but  that  was 
the  point,  she  was  unwilling  to  yield, — she 
could  not,  would  not  take  the  place  of  a 
sinner,  and,  as  such,  accept  Christ  as  her  Sav- 
ior, therefore,  she  was  among  the  many  who 
were  saying,  “Not  now,  some  more  convenient 
day  on  Thee  I’ll  call.”  The  Holy  Spirit  was 
grieved  as  He  left  her  once  more,  a Christ- 
rejecter,  while  she  barred  her  proud  heart 
against  the  best  Friend  who  had  ever  sought  a 
place  in  her  affections  and  in  her  life. 


CHAPTER  X 


Popular  Amusements 

A SPECIAL  night  had  come  in  the  cam- 
paign when  the  evangelist  spoke  on 
the  subject  of  “Popular  Amusements.” 
People  had  crowded  into  the  tabernacle  to  hear 
the  arguments  of  this  well-informed  lecturer  on 
a subject  that  touched  the  very  heart  of  the 
community. 

Yera  was  in  her  place  on  the  choir  loft,  feel- 
ing very  nervous  and  excited,  wondering  if 
the  evangelist  would  bring  forth  any  real 
strong  arguments  against  card-playing,  and  if 
the  force  of  such  arguments  would  humiliate 
her  in  the  presence  of  her  set  of  friends,  who, 
actuated  by  motives  of  curiosity,  were  all 
present. 

Her  mother  had  purposely  absented  herself 
from  that  service  to  show  her  disapproval  of 
the  lecture,  but  Yera,  always  fair-minded,  had 
bravely  faced  the  question,  and  as  Alick’s 
downfall  was  continually  in  her  mind,  won- 

[72] 


The  tabernacle  was  crowded  with  a most  auspicious  gathering’ 


Popular  Amusements 


75 


dered  if  she  could  possibly  be  convinced  that 
card-playing  was  wrong. 

At  the  close  of  the  lecture  many  crowded 
down  to  the  front  to  take  a stand  against  all 
amusements  that  were  hurting  others  and 
leading  so  many  young  people  to  a lost  eternhy, 
but  Vera  stood  her  ground,  unwilling  to  yield 
on  any  point.  Her  class  of  boys  was  present 
and  watching  their  teacher  they  decided  to  fol- 
low her  example,  and  let  these  fanatics  go  with 
their  narrow-minded  views  on  the  amusement 
question,  so  smiling  broadly  at  Vera  they 
nodded  their  willingness  to  stand  by  her  in  not 
being  influenced  by  any  arguments  against  the 
things  they  had  been  practising  every  week 
since  she  became  their  much-admired  teacher. 

At  last  the  meeting  was  to  be  closed;  the 
evangelist  had  raised  his  hands  for  all  heads 
to  be  bowed  while  he  pronounced  the  benedic- 
tion, when,  suddenly,  a man,  in  appearance 
like  a tramp,  walked  up  the  aisle,  crushed 
through  the  crowd,  and  took  the  evangelist  by 
the  hand.  All  eyes  were  turned  toward  the 
strange-looking  person,  all  talking  ceased  as 
every  ear  was  strained  to  hear  the  testimony 


76 


Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 


of  this  unexpected  penitent,  when  his  voice 
rang  out  clear  and  distinct : 

“I  used  to  attend  a church  in  this  city  when 
I was  a little  boy.  My  father  was  an  officer  in 
that  church.  There  were  seven  of  us  boys  in 
our  Sunday-school  teacher’s  class,  and  we  were 
much  loved  and  respected  by  her.  She  used  to 
take  us  home  on  Saturday  afternoon,  and  we 
used  to  have  music  and  refreshments,  and  then 
we  would  look  over  our  lesson  for  the  following 
day.  After  a bit,  in  order  to  keep  hold  of  us, 
she  introduced  us  to  cards.  She  showed  us  a 
number  of  tricks,  etc.  We  soon  asked  her  to 
give  us  a little  less  of  the  lesson  and  more  of  the 
cards,  and  to  show  us  more  tricks.  Shortly 
after  that  we  ceased  to  go  to  her  home  at  all, 
and  took  our  cards  and  cigarettes  to  other 
places.  Then  we  soon  took  to  gambling  and, 
of  course,  left  the  Sunday-school  and  her  even- 
ing class  altogether. 

“I  want  to  tell  you  what  became  of  those 
boys.  Two  of  those  seven  have  been  hanged; 
three  others  are  in  the  state  prison  for  life;  the 
sixth  one,  if  the  police  knew  where  he  is,  would 
be  there,  too,  and  if  they  knew  I were  here,  I 


Popular  Amusements 


77 


should  be  behind  the  prison  bars  in  double  quick 
time.  All  I have  to  say  is,  I wish  that  my  Sun- 
day-school teacher  had  not  led  us  as  she  did, — 
had  never  taught  us  boys  to  play  cards.” 

The  man,  with  his  wild,  wayward  look  had 
no  sooner  finished  his  story,  than  a woman, 
dressed  in  black,  staggered  forward  and  fell  at 
his  feet,  and  loudly  exclaimed,  in  a woeful  tone, 
“My  God!  I am  that  Sunday-school  teacher!” 

A physician  and  nurse  were  summoned  from 
the  audience  and  succeeded  in  resuscitating  the 
prostrated  teacher,  who  was  carried  to  the  rest 
room.  Dr.  Douglass  was  then  called  as  it  was 
discovered  she  needed  spiritual  help  more  than 
medical  attention. 

The  man  of  God  found  her  suffering  agony 
because  of  her  sin.  He  explained  that  “if  any 
man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father, 
Jesus  Christ  the  righteous”  (1  John  2:1),  and 
told  her  if  she  would  accept  God’s  terms,  she 
could  have  forgiveness  according  to  His  prom- 
ise, “If  we  confess  our  sins,  He  is  faithful  and 
just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us 
from  all  unrighteousness”  (1  John  1:9). 


78 


Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

“Can  God  forgive  such  sins  as  I have  com- 
mitted?” she  asked,  as  she  buried  her  head  in 
her  hands  and  wept  aloud. 

“Most  assuredly  yes,  provided  you  meet  His 
condition  and  confess.” 

“Tell  me  how  to  confess  and  I will  do  it.” 

“Tell  Him  frankly  that  you  sinned  when 
you  tried  the  world’s  methods  instead  of  God’s ; 
when  you  dragged  cards  into  your  work  for 
the  Master;  when  you  became  a tool  of  the 
devil  in  leading  your  boys  astray,  rather  than 
using  the  only  weapon  God  gives  His  servants 
— ‘the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  Word 
of  God’  (Eph.  6:17).  Make  an  open  con- 
fession of  it  all,  and  then  claim  His  promise.” 

At  last  the  light  began  to  break  through  the 
darkness  of  despair  that  had  settled  down  on 
the  remnant  of  a wasted  life,  and  she  wept  her 
way  back  to  God.  The  grief-stricken  woman 
confessed  the  sin  that  had  long  ago  cut  the 
thread  of  communion  between  her  soul  and  the 
God  whom  she  had  professed  to  love  and  serve. 
Then  followed  the  prayer  of  a contrite  heart, 
“Have  mercy  upon  me,  O God,  according  to 
Thy  loving  kindness : according  unto  the  multi- 


Popular  Amusements 


79 


tude  of  Thy  tender  mercies  blot  out  my  trans- 
gressions. Wash  me  thoroughly  from  mine 
iniquity,  and  cleanse  me  from  my  sin,  for  I 
acknowledge  my  transgressions : and  my  sin  is 
ever  before  me.  Purge  me  with  hyssop,  and  I 
shall  be  clean : wash  me,  and  I shall  be  whiter 
than  snow.  Hide  Thy  face  from  my  sins,  and 
blot  out  all  mine  iniquities.  Create  in  me  a 
clean  heart,  O God;  and  renew  a right  spirit 
within  me.  Cast  me  not  away  from  Thy  pres- 
ence ; and  take  not  Thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me. 
Restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  Thy  salvation;  and 
uphold  me  with  Thy  free  spirit.  Then  will  I 
teach  transgressors  Thy  ways ; and  sinners 
shall  be  converted  unto  Thee”  (Psalm  51: 1- 
3,  7,  9-13). 

^ nV.  ^ 

7PT  v|v  VfT  vf*  yfc  ^ 

As  soon  as  the  humiliated  woman  was  taken 
away  from  the  gazing  crowd  the  evangelist 
proceeded  with  deep  emotion — “Here  is  a case 
in  point — a Sunday-school  teacher  who  has 
been  a stumbling-block  to  the  boys  of  her  class, 
proving  that  you  cannot  do  evil  and  expect 
good  will  follows  ‘Whatsoever  a man  soweth, 
that  shall  he  also  reap’  (Gal.  6 : 7) , is  the  Word 


80 


Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 


of  the  living  God,  and  what  He  has  said  is  true. 
The  same  thing  you  sow  you  will  reap,  but  in 
larger  measure.  This  woman  sowed  cards  and 
she  has  reaped  gamblers.  Sow  a lifetime  of  sin 
and  you  will  reap  an  eternity  of  woe.” 

“But  now,  my  friend,”  he  continued,  as  he 
addressed  the  strange  penitent,  “while  we  know 
your  story  is  true,  we  also  know  that  you  are 
responsible  to  God  for  your  never-dying  soul. 
Your  soul,  stained  with  sin,  is  precious  in  the 
sight  of  God,  and  His  promise  is  ‘Him  that 
cometh  unto  me  I will  in  no  wise  cast  out’  ( J ohn 
6:37).  Are  you  willing  to  come  tonight,  just 
as  you  are,  with  all  your  sin,  and  put  God  to 
the  test?” 

“If  it  is  possible  for  God  to  save  such  as  I, 
I will  trust  Him  now,”  said  the  man,  as  he 
grasped  at  the  hope  held  out  in  the  text. 

“Praise  God,”  said  the  evangelist,  “with 
Him  ‘there  is  nothing  impossible’  ” (Luke 
1:37). 

Then  like  the  publican  of  old  the  anxious  in- 
quirer smote  himself  on  the  breast  and  cried 
with  deep  earnestness  “God  he  merciful  to  me 


Popular  Amusements 


81 


a sinner”  (Luke  18: 13),  and  God  heard  and 
answered  prayer. 

The  meeting  was  broken  up.  It  was  a fitting 
climax  to  a number  of  powerful  arguments 
against  the  use  of  cards.  Many  left  the  build- 
ing thankful  they  had  decided  to  give  up  that 
particular  form  of  amusement  that  was  ruin- 
ing men  and  women,  as  they  had  seen  illustrated 
when  they  listened  to  the  story  of  the  tramp. 
Others,  Vera  among  the  number,  went  home 
to  fight  the  battle  on  their  knees  in  the  quiet- 
ness of  their  own  rooms,  where  decisions  were 
made  that  were  going  to  change  the  life  of 
the  community  in  the  days  and  years  to  come. 


CHAPTER  XI 


A Momentous  Hour 

VERA  seemed  very  quiet  the  next  day 
and  talked  little  about  the  service  of 
the  night  before.  Her  mother  was  en- 
tertaining and  they  saw  little  of  each  other, 
but  as  the  time  drew  near  for  the  service  in  the 
tabernacle  it  was  evident  from  the  preparations 
that  Vera  was  going  again  to  hear  the  evangel- 
ist preach,  and  from  the  sorrowful  look  in  her 
eyes  and  the  resolute  curve  of  her  lips,  it  was 
also  evident  that  some  important  matter  had 
been,  or  was  about  to  be,  settled. 

Again  she  was  in  her  place  in  the  choir.  She 
imagined  she  received  special  attention  from 
the  evangelist,  and  that  other  members  of  the 
party  were  looking  at  her  from  time  to  time, 
not  in  a critical  way,  but  as  though  they  were 
looking  for  an  answer  to  the  many  prayers 
that  had  been  offered  in  the  home  of  Judge 
Gordon. 

During  the  sermon,  which  was  a strong 
appeal  to  the  heart  and  conscience  of  the  un- 

[82] 


A Momentous  Hour 


83 


saved,  she  sat  with  pale  face  and  set  lips.  It 
is  true  that  “God’s  word  is  quick  and  powerful, 
sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword”  (Heb.  4: 
12),  for  every  word  did  its  work  as  the  Great 
Physician  probed  to  the  core  of  sin  in  her  heart 
and  made  her  more  miserable  than  ever  if  that 
were  possible.  She  did  not  pass  the  message 
on  to  others  but  applied  it  as  a plumb-line  to 
her  own  heart,  saying  ever  and  anon,  “That  is 
true,  that  message  is  meant  for  me,”  as  if  there 
were  not  another  person  in  the  tabernacle.  “O 
God,  can  I be  saved?”  At  last  the  invitation 
was  given ; the  choir  sang  very  softly, 


“Just  as  I am,  without  one  plea, 

But  that  Thy  blood  was  shed  for  me. 

And  that  Thou  bid’st  me  come  to  Thee, 

O Lamb  of  God,  I come,  I come.” 

The  convicted  girl  joined  in  the  singing, 
every  moment  making  her  feel  the  force  of  the 
lie  upon  her  lips.  No  one  moved  as  the  evan- 
gelist pleaded  for  sinners  to  surrender  them- 
selves unto  God.  The  struggle  in  Vera’s  heart 
was  indescribable.  The  choir  was  singing 
again;  she  looked  at  her  book  and  read  the 


84  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

words  as  the  softened  voices  interpreted  them 
to  the  anxious  souls  in  the  meeting. 

“Just  as  I am.  Thy  love  unknown. 

Hath  broken  every  barrier  down; 

Now  to  be  Thine,  yea,  Thine  alone, 

O Lamb  of  God,  I come,  I come.” 

There  was  a move  in  the  choir  and  in  that 
momentous  hour,  Vera  Dickson,  who  never  lost 
her  poise,  made  her  way  off  the  platform  to 
the  front  and  reaching  her  hand  to  the  evangel- 
ist said,  “I  have  settled  the  great  question.” 

Just  at  that  moment  a very  officious  woman 
walked  up  and,  addressing  Vera,  said,  “I  am 
so  glad  you  are  going  to  reconsecrate  your  life, 
Miss  Dickson.” 

“No,”  said  Vera,  still  addressing  the  evan- 
gelist, “I  have  come  as  a sinner,  who  never 
experienced  the  saving  change  in  my  life  to 
accept  Jesus  Christ  as  my  personal  Saviour  and 
confess  Him  before  the  world  as  my  Lord. 
With  God’s  help  I intend  putting  everything 
out  of  my  life  that  is  unlike  Christ.  The  con- 
fession of  the  tramp  opened  my  eyes  to  my 
influence  and  teaching  on  the  boys  of  my  Sun- 
day-school class,  and  from  henceforth  I shall 


A Momentous  Hour 


85 


give  them  the  plain,  simple,  old-fashioned  gos- 
pel, instead  of  wasting  my  time  entertaining 
them  as  I have  done  in  the  past.” 

Oh,  the  effect  was  electrical  and  tremen- 
dous ! The  audience  was  moved  and  from  every 
part  of  the  choir  and  audience  Vera’s  friends 
made  their  way  down  to  take  a similar  stand 
for  Jesus  Christ.  Her  class  of  boys  all  came 
except  one,  and  he  was  afraid  of  the  opposi- 
tion in  his  home  if  he  followed  the  example  of 
his  teacher.  The  society  ladies  who  had  so 
often  laughed  at  evangelism  were  now  weep- 
ing over  the  years  of  sinning  wasted.  Never 
had  there  been  such  a sight  as  one  after  an- 
other yielded  themselves  without  reserve  unto 
God.  The  tabernacle  rang  with  the  praises 
of  the  Lord,  while  there  was  “joy  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  angels  of  God”  over  still  other 
souls  repenting  and  turning  to  Him. 

Early  next  morning,  long  before  her  people 
made  their  appearance,  Vera  was  out,  and  with 
her  favorite  dog  gamboling  by  her  side  she 
made  her  way  to  “Elmhurst.”  The  air  was 
crisp  and  fresh  and  everything  was  so  peace- 
ful; the  sky  never  looked  more  beautiful  as 


86  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

she  gazed  at  the  blue  canopy  of  heaven  and 
realized  she  had  the  smile  of  her  heavenly 
Father.  It  seemed  the  trees,  too,  were  clap- 
ping their  hands,  to  the  music  in  her  soul. 
What  music?  Nothing  more  or  less  than  the 
sweet  melody  set  to  the  words  which  were  the 
language  of  the  new  born  soul, 

“Heaven  above  is  brighter  blue, 

Earth  around  is  sweeter  green, 

Something  lives  in  every  hue, 

Christless  eye  hath  never  seen; 

Birds  with  gladder  songs  o’erflow, 

Flowers  with  deeper  beauty  shine. 

Since  I know,  as  now  I know, 

I am  Christ’s  and  Christ  is  mine.” 

Miss  Arnold  who  had  witnessed  the  scene 
the  night  before  was  ready  to  welcome  Vera, 
and  throwing  her  arms  around  her  neck,  she 
showered  her  with  kisses. 

‘Am  I too  early  to  see  Mrs.  Gordon?”  said 
Vera,  just  remembering  the  unearthly  hour 
she  had  come  to  call.  “I  do  want  to  talk  with 
her  and  would  like  to  see  her  alone.” 

“Take  a seat,  and  I shall  arrange  it  for  you; 
don’t  worry  about  time;  you  can  have  all  the 
time  you  want.”  So  saying,  Miss  Arnold  dis- 


A Momentous  Hour 


87 


appeared,  returning  in  a few  minutes  with  Mrs. 
Gordon,  who,  in  her  motherly  fashion,  took  the 
girl  in  her  arms,  and  looking  into  her  eyes 
which  were  filled  with  tears,  said  again  and 
again,  “Thank  God!” 

“Mrs.  Gordon,”  said  Vera,  wrhen  she  had 
regained  her  self-possession,  “Sit  down,  while 
I tell  you  what  is  on  my  heart,  and  will  kill  me 
unless  I can  unburden  it  to  you.” 

Placing  the  dear  girl  in  an  easy  chair,  she 
drew  another  up  to  her  side  and  Mrs.  Gordon 
said,  “Tell  it  all,  Vera,  dear.  Don’t  keep  any- 
thing back.” 

“I  do  not  know  how  you  will  ever  forgive 
me,”  Vera  began,  “but  I have  had  an  awful 
fight  ever  since  Alick  went  away.  I know  all 
about  what  he  did, — and  oh  dear.  I feel  so 
guilty  for  I encouraged  him  to  play  cards! 
When  he  argued  against  the  use  of  them  with 
my  Sunday-school  boys  I told  him  there  was 
no  harm  in  the  game ; when  he  asked  if  I would 
marry  a man  who  had  become  a gambler,  I 
boastingly  said,  ‘No,’  and  now, — Alick  is  gone. 
I did  my  part  in  making  him  a gambler,  yet  I 
was  a church  member  and  a Sunday-school 


88  Vera  Dickson's  Triumph, 

teacher.  The  fight  has  been  going  on  through- 
out this  entire  campaign,  and  my  decision  last 
night  was  only  the  outcome  of  the  climax 
brought  to  my  misery  when  that  tramp  came 
forward.  Had  I not  done  exactly  the  same 
thing  that  teacher  had  done  ? I had  helped  to 
send  Alick,  a gambler,  away  from  home  and 
mother.  I kept  my  class  of  boys  from  deciding 
for  Jesus  Christ.  God  has  forgiven  me,  and 
I am  saved  today,  ‘redeemed  not  with  cor- 
ruptible things,  as  silver  and  gold,  but  with 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ.’  N ow,  dear  Mrs. 
Gordon,”  and  Vera  was  very  wistful  as  she 
spoke,  “can  you  forgive  me?” 

Mrs.  Gordon’s  great  mother-heart  had  been 
going  out  to  the  girl  as  she  realized  what  it 
meant  for  her  to  make  such  a confession,  and 
with  a ring  of  assurance  in  her  voice,  she  said : 

“Yes,  my  dear,  I frankly  forgive  you.  I 
knew  you  could  not  have  lived  differently,  as 
you  had  not  experienced  a change  of  heart, 
and  all  Alick  needs,  too,  is  the  same  change. 
You  and  I shall  pray  him  into  the  kingdom, 
shall  we  not,  Vera?”  Together  they  knelt, 
thanking  God  for  one  soul  redeemed;  asking 


A Momentous  Hour 


89 


Him  for  the  one  who  was  still  far  from  God 
and  grace,  and  believing  that  He  could  reach 
him  and  bring  the  conviction  necessary  to  make 
Alick  take  the  same  stand  Vera  had  taken  for 
her  Lord  and  Master,  and  claim  the  promise, 
“If  two  of  you  shall  agree  on  earth  as  touching 
anything  that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done 
for  them”  (Matt.  18:  19). 

“Now,  dear,”  said  Mrs.  Gordon  as  she  kissed 
her  goodbye,  “the  next  thing  to  do  is  to  believe 
the  promises  and  cling  to  God  for  an  answer  to 
our  prayers.  We  must  pray  through  and  God 
will  honor  our  faith ; He  has  done  it  in  the  past 
and,  “He  is  the  same  yesterday,  today  and  for- 
ever” (Heb.  13:8). 

“You  have  so  much  faith,  Mrs.  Gordon.  I 
wonder  if  I will  ever  grow  to  be  such  a strong 
Christian  as  you.” 

“Yes,  you  will  and  perhaps  a great  deal 
stronger,  for  God’s  Word  makes  it  clear  that 
He  can  do  great  things  for  those  who  put  their 
trust  in  Him.  You  remember  the  portion,  ‘He 
found  him  in  a desert  land,  and  in  the  waste 
howling  wilderness ; He  led  him  about,  He  in- 
structed him,  He  kept  him  as  the  apple  of  His 


90 


Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

eye’  (Deut.  32:  10).  What  a wonderful  God 
we  have!  Trust  Him  every 
you  cannot  trace  Him,  and  all  will  be  well.” 


day  even  when 


CHAPTER  XII 


On  the  Bounding  Ocean 

THE  ship’s  doctor  sat  at  the  same  table 
with  Alick  Gordon  and  as  he  took  his 
place  at  breakfast  one  morning,  he  an- 
nounced the  death  of  a young  man  who  had 
passed  away  the  night  before. 

“What  was  the  cause  of  death?”  inquired 
Alick. 

“Pneumonia,”  said  the  doctor.  “He  has  had 
a sad  history,  poor  fellow,  and  being  somewhat 
of  a humanitarian  I encouraged  him  to  tell  me 
the  truth  about  his  past.  It  seems  he  came 
from  a struggling  though  respectable  family, 
learned  to  play  cards  like  many  boys  when  he 
was  quite  young,  and  soon  acquired  the  art  of 
gambling.  This  caused  him  to  drift  from 
home.  The  rest  of  his  story  is  but  a repetition 
of  many  who  have  gone  the  same  way.  He 
went  from  bad  to  worse  until  he  found  him- 
self without  friends  in  a strange  land  and  ill 
in  body.  His  mother,  a good  woman  I under- 

[91] 


92  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

stand,  sent  enough  money  to  take  him  home 
where  she  might  nurse  him  back  to  health.  He 
caught  cold,  developed  pneumonia,  and  being 
in  a run-down  condition  was  quite  unable  to 
battle  with  the  disease.  We  did  everything  in 
our  power  to  save  him,  but  all  in  vain.  We 
will  bury  him  tomorrow  morning.  Would  you 
like  to  see  the  funeral?  It  will  take  place  at 
seven  o’clock  from  the  lower  deck  aft.” 

“I  shall  be  there.  I have  never  seen  a fun- 
eral at  sea  and  I am  anxious  to  know  just  how 
it  is  conducted,”  said  Alick  in  an  interested 
manner. 

At  an  early  hour  Alick  was  on  deck  and  had 
tried  to  get  accustomed  to  the  rolling  of  the 
ship  before  the  time  fixed  for  the  funeral.  He 
was  a good  sailor  and  was  not  afraid  to  appear 
on  deck  in  a storm,  and  if  ever  a storm  raged  it 
seemed  to  outdo  itself  in  ferocity  that  morning. 
The  wind  howled,  the  sea  roared  and  threw  its 
spray  up  in  torrents,  sweeping  the  deck  every 
time  as  though  it  were  clamoring  for  the  body 
that  was  soon  to  be  lowered  into  its  depths. 
When  its  purpose  was  not  gained,  it  staggered 
like  a drunken  man,  throwing  the  great  ship 


On  the  Bounding  Ocean  93 

about  like  a straw,  first  to  one  side  until  it 
seemed  she  would  never  recover  her  poise. 
Then  foiled  in  its  effort  it  would  throw  her  to 
the  other  side,  and  again  anxious  to  get  the 
mastery,  it  would  send  her  dipping  forward 
and  reeling  backward  with  creaks  and  groans 
enough  to  make  passengers  decide  to  remain  in 
their  staterooms,  if  not  compelled  to  do  so,  and 
the  person  who  ventured  up,  found  it  difficult 
to  keep  his  feet  unless  he  had  his  sea  legs. 

Promptly  at  seven  o’clock  the  procession 
came.  First,  came  the  captain  accompanied  by 
a minister  who  was  a passenger  and  who  had 
been  asked  to  conduct  the  service.  Then  fol- 
lowed the  sailors  carrying  the  stretcher  on 
which  was  placed  the  canvas  casket  containing 
the  remains  of  the  poor  fellow  who  had  passed 
away  with  not  a friend  to  smooth  his  pillow  as 
death  came  to  claim  its  victim.  The  nation’s 
flag  was  draped  around  the  stretcher  and 
casket.  A number  of  officers  and  men  fol- 
lowed. They  came  to  a certain  place  on  the 
deck  that  apparently  had  been  cleared  for  the 
occasion  and  Alick  watched  closely.  The  early 
hour,  the  absence  of  curiosity-seekers,  the  re- 


94  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

spect  for  the  dead,  the  reverence  with  which 
these  men  doffed  their  hats  as  the  stretcher 
rested  on  the  bulwark,  all  seemed  to  speak  to 
Alick  of  a great  beyond  to  which  every  human 
being  must  go;  for  a moment  he  was  lost  in 
thought.  Where  is  the  poor  fellow  now?  These 
people  were  kind,  no  doubt,  while  he  lived  and 
they  are  respectful  now  that  he  is  dead.  I 
wonder  if  anyone  ever  thought  of  pointing  him 
to  Christ?  The  minister  was  reading — Alick 
knew  by  the  movement  of  his  lips,  though  no 
one  heard  a sound.  No  human  voice  could  be 
heard  above  the  voice  of  the  storm  as  it  poured 
forth  its  sad  wail,  set  in  a minor  key.  It  was 
a wail  that  drove  many  a mariner  to  pray  as  he 
had  never  prayed  before,  and  gave  many  anx- 
ious thoughts  to  the  wife  who  lay  awake  think- 
ing of  her  husband  w7ho  might  never  drop 
anchor  again  and  say  triumphantly,  as  he 
sprang  on  the  pier,  “Home.”  The  closed  eyes 
and  folded  hands  of  the  minister  told  the  on- 
lookers he  was  praying.  Then  at  a given  signal 
the  sailors  tilted  the  stretcher  and  the  body  in 
its  canvas  casket  dropped  from  under  the  flag 
into  the  raging  torrent  beneath.  No  friend 


On  the  Bounding  Ocean 


95 


was  near  to  heave  a sigh,  no  loved  one  to  shed 
a tear.  There  was  something  sad  about  it  all, 
and  Alick  turned  away  from  the  scene  with 
home  and  mother  occupying  his  thoughts  as 
they  had  not  done  for  some  time.  As  he  re- 
viewed the  past  which  might  have  been  parallel 
with  that  of  the  young  man  whose  funeral  serv- 
ice he  had  just  attended,  and  who  had  now 
entered  upon  eternity,  the  language  of  his  heart 
was,  “There  goes  Alick  Gordon  but  for  a merci- 
ful God.” 

Alick  had  turned  over  a new  leaf,  but  was 
very  much  troubled  over  the  past,  which  in- 
sisted on  coming  up  before  his  vision,  remind- 
ing him  that — 

“Resolutions  will  not  suffice, 

Tis  life  poor  sinners  need.” 

No  one  knew  his  need  better  than  he  did  him- 
self, for  he  had  learned  the  necessity  of  the  new 
birth  from  childhood  from  the  best  teacher  a 
boy  can  have — a godly  mother. 

Judge  Gordon  had  found  a position  for  his 
son  with  an  old-time  friend,  who  was  going 
abroad  with  a party  of  well-to-do  business  men 


96  Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 

in  the  interests  of  a new  enterprise.  Alick  was 
their  legal  adviser  on  the  trip,  and  had  done 
his  work  so  satisfactorily  that  they  had  offered 
him,  subsequent  on  his  return,  if  he  cared  to 
consider  it,  a permanent  position,  a good  sal- 
ary, and  the  chance  of  being  introduced  in  a 
new  and  growing  city  with  the  prospect  of 
building  up  a good  practice  for  himself. 


CHAPTER  XIII 


A Good  Confession 


ON  Vera’s  return  home  she  found  her 
father  alone  in  the  library  and,  slipping 
over  to  his  side,  Said,  “Father,  I want 
to  talk  to  you.” 

“What  troubles  my  little  daughter?”  said 
the  kind-hearted  man  who  loved  Vera  dearly. 

“Nothing  troubles  me,”  said  Vera,  her  face 
illumined  with  such  light  and  gladness  that  her 
father  watched  it,  entranced.  “I  am  the  hap- 
piest girl  in  all  the  world  today.  Last  night 
I accepted  Christ  as  my  Savior  and  confessed 
Him  as  my  Lord.” 

“You  don’t  mean  to  say  you  came  out  in  the 
meeting?” 

“Yes,  father,  I did.” 

“But  you  have  always  been  a good  girl,  Vera, 
and  I cannot  see  why  you  needed  a change; 
you  never  did  anything  wrong.” 

“No,  I never  did  anything  that  I knew  was 
wrong,  but  I did  something  that  was  wrong 

[97] 


98 


Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 


in  the  sight  of  God.  Mother  and  you  did  not 
seem  to  think  there  was  any  harm  in  it  and 
that  made  the  tight  all  the  more  bitter  for  me, 
but  I settled  it  all  with  God,  last  night,  and  I 
feel  so  happy  today.” 

“Will  you  tell  me  just  what  you  mean  by 
that  statement?”  and  Vera  with  incisive  tones 
gave  a full  explanation. 

“I  have  always  played  cards  and  we  have 
given  prizes  at  our  parties  and  I have  won 
prizes  at  other  card  parties.  I have  enter- 
tained my  Sunday-school  boys  here  once  a week 
ever  since  I came  from  college  and  when  Alick 
Gordon  came  for  my  advice  I upheld  card- 
playing as  a perfectly  legitimate  way  of  enter- 
taining. He  was  pleased  that  I went  against, 
what  he  called,  the  narrow-minded  views  of  his 
mother.  You  remember  poor  Alick  became  a 
gambler,  and  used  up  the  money  entrusted  to 
his  father  for  investment,  and  left  home,  while 
his  father  and  mother  have  been  working  so 
hard  ever  since  to  pay  his  debts.  W ell,  father, 
I could  have  nipped  that  sin  in  the  bud  if  I had 
only  known  that  a form  of  amusement  that 
would  end  in  disaster  for  one  person,  was 


A Good  Confession 


99 


not  right  for  a Sunday-school  teacher.  The 
trouble,  however,  was,  I was  a church  member 
and  a Sunday-school  teacher  professionally, 
without  ever  having  experienced  a change  of 
heart.  The  Lord  opened  my  eyes  during  this 
campaign  to  see  myself  as  a sinner  in  the  sight 
of  God,  needing  nothing  more  or  less  than  the 
new  birth,  and  only  last  night  did  that  saving 
change  take  place  in  my  heart.” 

Her  father  paid  splendid  attention  to  all 
the  beautiful  girl  had  said,  and  seeing  the  kind- 
ly interest  in  his  face  Vera  ventured  to  say, 

“May  I ask  a question,  father?” 

“Certainly,  dear.” 

“Are  you  saved  ?” 

“I  think  not,  Vera.” 

“You  would  make  such  a fine  Christian, 
father.” 

“I  have  been  thinking  very  seriously  about 
this  matter  since  these  meetings  started,  and  I 
assure  you  if  mother  would  take  the  step  you 
have  taken  I would  go  with  her  and  publicly 
confess  Jesus  Christ  before  the  world.” 

This  added  to  Vera’s  happiness  immensely, 
and  she  went  out  to  look  for  her  mother,  feel- 


100 


Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 

ing  sure  that  all  she  had  to  do  was  to  tell  her  as 
she  had  told  her  father  and  she,  too,  would  sur- 
render to  the  claims  of  Christ ; and  their  home 
would  become  a very  Bethany  on  earth  where 
Jesus  loved  to  come  to  dwell. 

Vera  was  doomed  to  disappointment  when 
she  met  her  mother,  and  the  Lord  seemed  to 
have  been  preparing  her  for  the  trial  that  lay 
before  her,  by  giving  her  so  many  things  to 
encourage  her  during  the  hours  that  had  passed 
since  she  became  a child  of  God. 

She  was  in  the  drawing-room  when  her 
mother  entered,  looking  very  much  excited  and 
apparently  worked  up  about  something,  and 
Vera  wondered  if  it  were  an  opportune  time 
to  tell  her  about  her  new-found  joy  and  hap- 
piness. She  did  not  need  to  wonder  long,  for 
rage  was  written  on  every  feature  of  Mrs. 
Dickson’s  face  as  she  paced  the  floor,  and  the 
twitching  of  her  mouth  was  a prelude  to  the 
battle  that  was  about  to  be  fought. 

“Vera,”  she  said,  with  a voice  stern  and  per- 
emptory, stopping  in  front  of  the  girl,  “what- 
ever has  happened  to  you  ? I have  heard  of  the 
scene  you  made  in  the  tabernacle  last  night  and 


A Good  Confession  101 

the  stand  you  took  against  cards,  and  you  know 
very  well  where  I stand  on  that  question.  It 
was  bad  enough  for  the  minister  and  the  evan- 
gelist to  be  extreme  along  some  lines,  but  for 
my  own  daughter  to  go  so  far  against  her  moth- 
er as  to  take  a stand  like  that,  right  in  our 
city,  and  among  my  set  of  friends,  is  too  much. 
These  things  are  for  the  plebean  and  are  des- 
picable enough  in  them,  but  what  are  we 
coming  to  in  society  when  the  daughter  of  L. 
W.  Dickson  joins  the  fanatics,  and  leads  a 
procession  of  society  women  down  to  the  front 
in  a revival  meeting,  and  then  have  them  come 
here  to  convert  me  to  their  views,  as  though  I 
were  the  greatest  sinner  in  town!  What  have 
you  to  say  for  yourself?” 

Vera  felt  her  insufficiency  to  answer  her 
mother’s  arguments,  but  with  a prayer  for  help 
she  ventured  to  say,  “Only  this,  mother, — that 
I never  knew  I was  a sinner  until  these  meet- 
ings started.” 

“What  dreadful  thing  have  you  done  that 
you  should  have  to  take  the  place  of  a sinner 
like  that?” 


102  Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 

“It  isn’t  that  mother;  God’s  Word  says  that 
‘All  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory 
of  God’  (Rom.  3:  23) , and  that  included  me;  it 
is  not  the  amount  of  my  sin,  but  the  fact  that 
I came  into  the  world  a sinner,  and  nothing 
could  ever  take  me  to  heaven  but  the  new 
birth.” 

“I  understand  that  the  principal  thing  you 
have  given  up  is  cards,  and  if  others  have  gone 
too  far  with  card-playing,  I fail  to  see  how  that 
could  affect  you.” 

“That  is  just  what  I learned  mother,  ‘All 
we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray ; we  have  turned 
everyone  to  his  own  way’  (Isa.  53 : 6) , and  that 
is  the  way  I had  chosen, — a way  that  was  lead- 
ing me  farther  and  farther  from  God,  so  I just 
came  as  I was,  a poor  lost  sheep  to  the  fold  last 
night,  and  oh  mother,  dear,  I am  so  happy ! I 
want  to  see  father  and  you  take  the  same  step 
soon.” 

“If  you  made  a fool  of  yourself  you  need 
not  expect  that  we  are  going  to  follow  your 
example.  I do  not  believe  in  public  demon- 
strations of  religion  and  will  never  go  forward 
in  that  tabernacle  to  make  a confession  of  my 


A Good  Confession 


103 


faith  in  God,  so  you  may  make  up  your  mind 
now  that  you  have  to  stand  alone.”  With  this 
she  swept  out  of  the  room  and,  as  if  by  tacit 
agreement,  the  subject  was  not  again  resumed. 
The  first  blow  to  Vera’s  new-found  faith  and 
joy  had  come,  and  she  went  to  her  room  to 
quietly  weep  over  her  sorrow  and  talk  it  over 
with  the  Friend  “that  sticketh  closer  than  a 
brother”  (Prov.  18:  24),  for  does  not  God’s 
Word  say,  “He  is  touched  with  the  feeling  of 
our  infirmities”  (Heb.  4 :15) , and  exhorts  us  to 
“Cast  your  care  upon  Him;  for  He  careth  for 
you”  ( 1 Peter  5:7)?  She  had  a blessed  time  as 
she  turned  to  John  9 and  read  that  when  the 
man  who  had  been  blind  from  birth,  received 
his  sight  and  was  cast  out  by  the  Jews,  he  was 
befriended  by  the  Son  of  God.  Dropping  on 
her  knees  she  cried  to  the  God  whom  she  had 
only  learned  to  trust  and  asked  Him  for  His 
friendship  at  this  time  when  she  had  incurred 
the  anger  of  her  mother  for  Christ’s  sake.  A 
sweet,  settled  peace  filled  her  soul  as  she  real- 
ized for  the  first  time  the  truth — “Unto  them 
who  believe  He  is  precious”  (1  Peter  2:7). 


CHAPTER  XIV 


Answered  Prayer 

VERA  had  gone  out  early  to  meet  some 
college  girls  and  have  a lunch  with 
them  before  going  to  the  tabernacle. 
She  had  stopped  asking  her  mother  to  attend 
the  services,  but  was  praying  that  she  might 
have  the  joy  of  seeing  her  father  and  mother  on 
the  side  of  Jesus  Christ.  Mrs.  Dickson  seemed 
to  be  laboring  under  conviction  ever  since  she 
had  learned  of  her  daughter’s  stand  for  her 
Lord  and  Master.  It  was,  therefore,  bevond 
Vera’s  most  sanguine  expectations  when  she 
saw  her  father  and  mother  enter  the  building 
and  take  their  seats  on  the  platform.  She 
prayed  most  earnestly  that  the  Lord  would 
open  her  mother’s  eyes  and  bring  her  to  a sav- 
ing knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

The  sermon  was  a powerful  one,  the  evan- 
gelist basing  his  remarks  on  the  text,  “Choose 
you  this  day  whom  ye  will  serve”  (Joshua  24: 
15).  As  the  old  gospel  story  rang  out  once 

[ 101  ] 


Answered  Prayer 


105 


more  in  all  its  fullness  and  simplicity,  Vera 
prayed  never  so  fervently,  that  her  home  might 
become  like  Joshua’s  when  he  made  the  choice 
“as  for  me  and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the 
Lord.”  Oh,  the  joy  that  came  to  her  when  the 
invitation  was  given  and  her  father  and  mother, 
the  society  leaders  of  the  city,  came  down  from 
the  rostrum  and  stood  beside  the  evangelist  to 
confess  that  they  had  made  Joshua’s  choice, 
and  were  going  henceforth  to  serve  the  Lord, 
not  as  professors,  but  as  possessors  of  the 
eternal  life  that  God  alone  can  give ! 

Vera,  who  was  doing  personal  work  in  the 
audience,  heard  the  good  news,  and  made  her 
way  to  the  front.  Her  mother  told  her  in  the 
most  amicable  terms  how  great  the  struggle  had 
been,  and  how,  at  last,  it  had  ended  at  the 
Cross  so  that  now  she  could  sing: 

“I’m  not  ashamed  to  own  my  Lord, 

Or  to  defend  His  cause, 

Maintain  the  honor  of  His  word, 

The  glory  of  His  cross. 

“At  the  cross,  at  the  cross, 

Where  I first  saw  the  light, 

And  the  burden  of  my  heart  rolled  away, 

It  was  there  by  faith  I received  my  sight, 

And  now  I am  happy  all  the  day.” 


106  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

There  was  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels 
that  night,  and  Vera  wondered  if  their  joy 
could  be  greater  than  the  rejoicing  of  her  heart 
as  she  made  her  way  home  with  her  father  and 
mother,  all  saved  and  anxious  to  live  for  God 
in  such  a way  that  he  would  be  well  pleased. 

“Father,”  said  the  happy  girl,  as  they  en- 
tered their  home,  “shall  we  have  family  wor- 
ship tonight  before  retiring?” 

“Certainly,  dear,”  said  her  father,  who  was 
now  on  fire  for  the  God  who  had  been  kept  out 
of  his  life  for  so  many  years. 

Together  they  read  a portion  of  Scripture 
and  knelt  in  prayer,  pouring  out  the  gratitude 
of  their  hearts  to  the  One  “who  hath  done 
great  things  for  us;  whereof  we  are  glad” 
(Psalm  126:  3) . 

Mrs.  Dickson’s  tears  flowed  freely  as  she 
sobbed  out  her  sorrow  for  the  way  she  had 
rejected  the  Son  of  God,  and  in  making  her 
surrender  the  language  of  her  very  soul  was, 


“Were  the  whole  realm  of  nature  mine. 
That  were  an  offering  far  too  small, 
Love  so  amazing,  so  divine, 

Shall  have  my  soul,  my  life,  my  all.” 


Answered  Prayer 


107 


“Vera,”  she  said,  as  she  followed  the  girl 
to  her  room,  “I  have  lived  so  much  for  self  in 
the  past,  and  I know  so  little  of  God,  that  I 
need  your  help  now  in  starting  to  live  anew. 
‘Old  things  have  passed  away  and  all  things 
have  become  new’  (2  Cor.  5:  17).  We  will 
require  a regular  house-cleaning  campaign  and 
my  desire  is,  that  when  we  are  through  there 
will  not  be  a sign  of  the  old  life  left  in  our 
home  to  remind  us  of  the  time  we  have  wasted — 
precious  time — that  could  have  been  spent  for 
God  had  we  only  known  Him,  but  since  we 
cannot  undo  the  past  I want  to  redeem  the 
time,  and  crowd  as  much  service  as  possible 
into  the  remaining  days  and  years.  You  will 
help  me,  Vera,  dear,  won’t  you?” 

“Yes,  mother,  I will  do  anything  I can,  but 
I feel  so  weak,  I fear  I will  need  more  help 
than  you.” 


CHAPTER  XV 


Miss  Beatrice  Dixon 

IT  was  Sunday  evening,  and  in  a very  nicely 
furnished  room  in  an  apartment  house  in 
a city  many  miles  away,  was  a young  man 
lying  in  a recumbent  position,  suffering  with 
an  acute  attack  of  nostalgia.  He  leaned  over 
to  the  table  and  drew  towards  him  a copy  of 
the  Saturday  evening  paper  and  scanned  the 
columns  of  church  notices,  wondering  where  he 
could  go  to  pass  the  time  and  help  him  to  forget 
the  past.  His  eye  caught  a strange  notice, — 
the  name  of  a church  was  given  with  the  name 
of  the  pastor  who  was  to  preach  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  then  came  the  words  that  attracted 
Alick  Gordon,  for  it  was  he  who  wTas  so  lonely 
and  homesick, — “7 :30  P.  M.  Miss  Beatrice 
Dixon  will  lecture.  Everybody  invited.” 

That  name  brought  back  memories  of  other 
days  and  thoughts  of  the  companionship  of  one 
whose  image  was  ever  present  with  him,  whom 
from  childhood  lie  had  loved,  and  whom  neither 

[108] 


Miss  Beatrice  Dixon 


109 


time  nor  distance  could  efface  from  his 
memory. 

Courteous,  kindhearted,  generous  almost  to 
a fault,  Alick  had  made  friends  wherever  he 
went,  and  here,  many  had  tried  to  lead  him 
into  their  clubs  and  societies,  but  the  thoughts 
of  the  past  kept  him  from  the  thing  that  to 
him  was  “the  very  appearance  of  evil.” 

Men,  too,  with  fastidious  wives  and  elegant 
daughters  were  unremitting  in  their  attention 
to  the  homeless  young  man  who  had  come 
amongst  them,  but  while  he  accepted  their  at- 
tentions with  much  complacency,  he  seemed 
rather  restless  and  uneasy  at  times.  Again 
and  again  he  was  taken  to  task  for  his  moodi- 
ness and  absence  of  mind,  but  they  were  quite 
unsuccessful  in  eliciting  from  him  a satisfac- 
tory explanation,  so  concluded  he  was  either 
a confirmed  bachelor  or  had  left  behind  him  a 
wife  and  family,  clouded  by  a mystery  they 
were  unable  to  solve. 

It  was,  however,  all  too  real  to  Alick,  so  try- 
ing to  throw  off  the  homesick  feelings  he  de- 
cided to  visit  this  particular  church  and  hear 
the  lecture,  so  donning  his  hat  and  coat  he  left 


110  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

his  lonely  room  and  boarded  a street-car  for 
the  part  of  the  city  where  the  lady  was  to 
lecture. 

The  church  was  small  but  cozy  and  comfort- 
able. Few  were  there  when  he  arrived,  but 
several  men,  who  had  come  out  of  curiosity,  to 
hear  the  lecture  also,  came  off  the  same  car 
and  entered  with  Alick.  They  seemed  jolly 
and  were  very  talkative,  and  suggested  that 
they  go  near  the  front,  for  said  one,  “A  wom- 
an’s voice  is  so  weak  we  may  not  hear  if  we 
stay  in  the  rear.” 

When  they  were  seated  on  the  left  side  of 
the  church  they  discussed  the  service. 

“Who  is  Miss  Beatrice  Dixon?”  asked  one 
of  the  men. 

“Never  heard  of  her,”  said  another. 

“What  is  she  going  to  lecture  about?” 

“Expect  suffrage.” 

“Maybe  temperance.” 

Just  then  the  vestry  door  opened  and  the 
minister  entered,  followed  by  a young  woman 
who  took  her  place  beside  the  minister  on  the 
platform  with  perfect  self-composure. 


Miss  Beatrice  Dixon 


111 


Alick  watched  every  move  and  for  the  time 
forgot  why  he  was  there  and  what  had  brought 
him  to  that  church.  The  service  began;  the 
hymns  were  old-fashioned  and  familiar  for 
Alick  had  sung  them  many  times  before  in 
Sunday-school.  Then  came  the  sermon;  the 
lady  stood  up  with  Bible  in  hand,  and  an- 
nounced her  subject.  All  doubt  as  to  the 
nature  of  her  lecture  was  banished  from  the 
minds  of  her  hearers,  as  she  told  out  the  old, 
old  story  in  a way  that  was  new  to  many  in  the 
audience,  but  not  to  Alick  Gordon,  for  the 
truths  in  that  story  were  only  a repetition  of 
what  he  had  listened  to  from  babyhood  from 
his  own  mother’s  lips,  and  he  found  himself 
going  back  in  thought  to  the  time  when  he  knelt 
at  her  knee  and  repeated  with  baby  lips, 

“Gentle  Jesus,  meek  and  mild, 

Look  upon  a little  child. 

Pity  my  simplicity, 

Help  me  now  to  come  to  Thee.” 

Then  again  he  could  hear  his  mother  explain 
portions  of  Scripture  and  emphasize  the  need 
in  every  life  for  a Savior  who  could  “save  them 
to  the  uttermost  that  come  unto  God  by  Him” 


112  Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 

(Heb.  7:2 5),  and  again  he  could  hear  her  voice 
lifted  in  prayer  as  she  knelt  beside  him  at  his 
little  bed  and  her  words  seemed  to  echo  from 
the  past  as  she  petitioned  the  throne  of  grace 
for  the  salvation  of  her  boy. 

Miss  Dixon  talked  as  though  she  had  experi- 
enced the  salvation  she  recommended  to  others. 
Her  text  was  John  3:7:  “Ye  must  be  born 
again.”  She  spoke  about  the  absolute  necessity 
of  the  new  birth  and  showed  that  as  children 
of  Adam  we  belonged  to  a fallen  race  and 
never  could  have  a place  in  the  glory-land 
without  the  new  birth;  then  she  pointed  out 
God’s  wonderful  love  in  giving  a Savior  to 
redeem  us  from  the  hand  of  the  enemy.  She 
spoke  of  the  simplicity  of  God’s  way  of  sal- 
vation that  by  simply  taking  the  place  of  sin- 
ners and  accepting  Jesus  Christ  as  our  per- 
sonal Savior  we  were  born  into  the  familv  of 

«/ 

God,  and  what  a great  change  took  place  when 
we  were  born  again,  that  “old  things  are  passed 
away;  behold,  all  things  are  become  new” 
(2  Cor.  5 : 17) , that  the  things  we  loved  before 
we  hate  now,  the  things  we  hated  before  we 


Miss  Beatrice  Dixon 


113 


love  now  and  that  only  Jesus  Christ  in  our 
hearts  and  lives  could  make  such  a change. 

She  spoke  of  the  assurance  that  came  to  us 
from  the  Word  of  God  which  makes  it  so  clear 
that  “we  who  sometimes  were  far  off  are  made 
nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ”  (Eph.  2 : 13) , and 
are  now  “children  of  God:  and  if  children,  then 
heirs ; heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ” 
(Romans  8:  16,  17). 

Then  she  applied  the  message  and  told  her 
audience  that  the  Christ  whom  Nicodemus  had 
visited  during  the  midnight  hours  was  pres- 
ent, as  willing  and  ready  to  save  now  as  on 
that  memorable  night  when  He  said  to  the 
anxious  inquirer,  “as  Moses  lifted  up  the  ser- 
pent in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son 
of  man  be  lifted  up:  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal 
life”  (John  3: 14,  15) ; then  the  invitation  was 
extended  to  all  who  had  not  already  surrend- 
ered to  the  claims  of  Christ  to  do  it  now. 

There  was  an  awful  struggle  in  Alick  Gor- 
don’s soul;  the  devil  was  unwilling  to  let  him 
go,  and  he  piled  up  the  barriers  mountains  high 
so  that  Alick  felt  it  would  be  an  easy  matter 


114  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

for  others  to  surrender,  but  he  was  such  a 
sinner  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  be 
saved. 

His  mother’s  prayers  and  tender  pleadings 
recurred  to  him,  as  they  had  done  frequently 
of  late,  and  with  a heart-breaking  because  of 
sin,  he  bravely,  manfully  and  courageously  left 
his  seat  and  stepped  out  before  the  entire  audi- 
ence and  confessed  his  need  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  battle  was  terrific  and  the  devil  fought 
hard  to  keep  one  who  had  been  a faithful  serv- 
ant of  his  for  so  many  years,  but  God,  who 
is  ever  Almighty,  revealed  His  way  of  salva- 
tion and  made  it  so  simple  that  on  bended  knees 
in  that  far-away  church  building,  confessing 
his  sins  to  God,  Alick  Gordon  entered  in  by 
the  door  Christ  Jesus  (John  10:  9),  and  was 
saved  from  sin. 

He  now  returned  to  his  room  to  hold  sweet 
communion  with  the  One  who  had  so  freely 
pardoned  his  sins,  and  looking  in  his  trunk  for 
the  little  Bible  that  had  been  the  gift  of  his 
mother  many  years  before,  he  sat  into  the 
morning  hours  searching  the  Scriptures  to  see 
if  these  things  were  so,  and  only  when  day- 


Miss  Beatrice  Dixon 


115 


light  began  to  stream  through  the  closed  shut- 
ters did  he  realize  he  had  not  slept.  Instead 
of  retiring  to  rest  he  decided  to  stroll  out  to 
the  woods  where  he  could  commune  with  the 
God  whom  he  had  rejected  through  the  years; 
sitting  down  on  a tree  that  had  been  blown  down 
by  the  winter’s  storms  he  reviewed  the  past 
and  with  thankful  heart  praised  God  for  tak- 
ing care  of  him  and  saving  him,  even  in  his 
Christless  career,  from  drifting  into  a life  of 
profligacy.  As  he  looked  back  with  new  vision 
he  could  see  that  it  was  not  his  will-power 
that  had  kept  him  from  drifting  but  an  an- 
swer to  his  godly  mother’s  prayers,  and  the 
care  of  a Creator  for  His  rebellious  crea- 
ture, in  preserving  him, — in  the  midst  of 
snares, — from  falling  deeper  into  sin.  Alick 
Gordon  had  been  held  up  as  an  example  of 
clean  manhood  by  many  a mother  as  she  tried 
to  save  her  boy  in  that  distant  city,  not  know- 
ing that  there  had  been  a time  in  his  life  when 
he  took  the  cup  his  mother  had  begged  him 
never  to  touch,  and  had  played  the  game  that 
drove  him  from  home  and  nearly  broke  his 
mother’s  heart.  Now  the  prodigal  who  so  re- 


116 


Vera  Dickson  s Triumph 


cently  had  his  eyes  opened  to  see  himself  as  he 
was  in  the  sight  of  God,  decided  to  return  to  his 
mother  and  give  her  cause  for  joy,  “for  this 
her  son  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again ; was  lost 
and  is  found”  (Luke  15:  32) . 


CHAPTER  XVI 


The  Prodigal’s  Return 

MRS.  Gordon  and  Miss  Arnold  had  been 
making  Alick  a special  subject  of 
prayer,  and  many  times  each  day 
those  hearts  were  lifted  to  God  in  intercessory 
prayer  for  the  prodigal  boy  in  the  far  country. 

One  morning,  when  they  had  finished  their 
worship,  Mrs.  Gordon  said,  “ J essie,  I feel  that 
prayer  has  been  answered  and  God  has  found 
my  poor  erring  boy;  I believe  that  the  Shep- 
herd who  has  been  out  on  the  mountains  cold 
and  bare  has  at  last  found  the  sheep  that  was 
lost.  That  promise,  ‘If  two  of  you  agree  on 
earth  as  touching  anything  that  they  shall  ask, 
it  shall  be  done’  (Matt.  18:  19),  has  been  such 
a blessing  to  me  during  the  last  few  days  that 
I am  confident  our  prayers  have  been  an- 
swered, and  that  those  words  should  be  written 
in  capitals  in  every  Bible,  ‘IT  SHALL  BE 
DONE.’  We  do  not  need  to  wait  until  we 
hear  from  Alick;  I think  we  ought  to  have  a 
praise  meeting  right  now,”  and  together  they 
sang, 


[117] 


118 


Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 

“Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow. 
Praise  Him  all  creatures  here  below. 
Praise  Him  above,  ye  heavenly  host. 
Praise  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.” 


Neither  of  them  noticed  the  door  open  and 
some  one  enter,  but  when  they  had  finished  the 
stanza  they  looked  up  and  there  stood  Alick  by 
the  side  of  his  mother. 

“Amen;  mother,  you  surely  have  something 
to  praise  God  for!  Here  is  your  son  returned 
to  you  a new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus, — saved 
by  Sovereign  grace.  I thought  I would  not 
write,  nor  wire,  but  just  come.” 

For  a few  moments  Miss  Arnold  felt  like 
“taking  the  shoes  from  off  her  feet”  for,  she  re- 
alized, “the  place  whereon  thou  standest  is  holy 
ground”  (Exod.  8:  5),  and  like  the  morning 
when  mother  and  son  had  stood  in  that  very 
room  when  Alick’s  sin  had  found  him  out, 
again  she  felt  it  was  no  place  for  intruders, 
and  she  quietly  left  the  room  and  telephoned 
Vera. 

Vera  answered  the  telephone  herself  with 
a “Good  morning,  Miss  Arnold.” 

“Good  morning,  Miss  Vera;  what  are  you 
going  to  do  this  evening?” 


The  Prodigal’s  Return 


119 


“Nothing  special  except  study  my  Sunday- 
school  lesson.” 

“Would  you  like  a caller?” 

“I  will  be  delighted  to  have  you  call;  come 
early.” 

“You  may  expect  a visitor  then  about  7 
o’clock.” 

Vera  was  alone  trying  to  study  her  Sunday- 
school  lesson.  Strange  that  her  mind  should 
be  so  much  on  Alick  this  evening,  and  again 
and  again  her  heart  would  go  up  in  prayer  for 
the  one  whom  she  had  helped  to  send  away  in 
disgrace.  Oh  how  she  wished  she  could  take 
back  those  arguments  and  bring  Alick  Gordon 
to  God! 

“A  gentleman  to  see  you,  Miss  Dickson,” 
announced  the  butler. 

“Who  is  it,  Harrison?” 

“He  won’t  give  his  name,  Miss  Dickson.” 

“Show  him  in,  Harrison.” 

The  door  opened,  and  who  should  appear 
but  Alick  Gordon! 

Vera  could  not  hide  her  emotions.  The 
pent-up  feelings  gave  way  and  as  Alick  took 
her  outstretched  hand  she  leaned  against  his 


120  V era  Dickson's  Triumph 

breast  in  a paroxysm  of  grief  mingled  with 
joy,  sobbing  out  her  thanks  to  God  for  an  op- 
portunity of  seeing  once  more  the  one  whom 
she  felt  she  had  sinned  against. 

“Vera,”  said  Alick  who  was  able  to  control 
himself  better  than  the  excited  girl,  “mother 
has  told  me  all  about  your  conversion  to  God, 
and  little  girl,  I have  come  to  both  mother  and 
you,  to  tell  you,  that  I,  too,  have  been  snatched 
as  a brand  from  the  burning,  and  now  I am 
rejoicing  in  a new-found  Savior.” 

When  Vera  regained  her  self-possession  she 
said,  “Alick,  I think  I will  never  be  able  to 
praise  God  enough  for  this  another  answer  to 
prayer.  He  was  so  good  in  showing  me  the 
error  of  my  way,  and  now  I feel  like  Rhoda 
when  Peter  was  released  from  prison,  I can 
scarcely  believe  it  is  true  that  you  are  really 
here,  and  better  than  everything  else  you  are 
saved.” 

That  night  before  they  parted  they  had 
plighted  their  troth  on  their  knees  before  God, 
leaving  their  future  in  His  hands,  with  one 
desire  permeating  each  breast,  namely,  “The 
glory  of  God.” 


CHAPTER  XVII 


Sated  to  Serve 

THERE  was  much  to  be  done  now  that 
such  a large  campaign  had  come  to  an 
end,  and  the  pastors  found  their  hands 
full.  Dr.  Archibald  Douglass  was  a frequent 
and  welcome  visitor  at  the  Dickson  residence 
and  no  one  entered  into  the  work  so  heartily  as 
Vera  Dickson. 

“Whatever  would  I do  without  her,”  was  the 
expression  of  Dr.  Douglass  many  times  as  he 
faced  difficult  problems  and  appealed  to  Vera 
for  assistance,  and  now  that  Alick  Gordon  had 
returned  and  was  proving  himself  such  a fine 
type  of  Christian  manhood,  he  could  count  on 
a splendid  team  of  young  people,  whom  not 
only  he,  but  the  Lord  could  trust  with  special 
work  in  that  particular  part  of  His  vineyard. 

“What  strong  characters  they  are,”  was  the 
remark  that  could  be  heard  over  and  over  again. 
“They  were  at  one  time  out-and-out  worldlings ; 

[ 121  ] 


122  Vera  Dickson’s  Triumph 

now  they  are  out-and-out  in  the  service  of 
God.” 

They  were  growing  in  grace  daily  and  in 
the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  were  both 
becoming  fine  students  of  the  Word  of  God, 
eager  to  work,  but  also  anxious  to  learn  the 
will  of  the  One  “who  hath  done  great  things 
for  us  whereof  we  are  glad”  (Psalm  126:  3) . 

Vera’s  class  had  grown  until  she  felt  it  was 
almost  more  than  she  could  manage  alone ; and 
what  a band  of  splendid  young  men!  none  of 
them  twenty  years  of  age,  but  nearly  all  saved 
and  consecrated  to  the  service  of  the  Lord. 

Alick  had  become  a member  of  the  men’s 
Bible  class  and  was  one  of  its  finest  workers  in 
the  spread  of  the  gospel  and  in  bringing  men 
to  the  Savior  of  sinners. 

Vera,  however,  was  in  trouble  about  her 
class,  for  she  loved  every  boy  in  her  charge 
dearly  and  had  their  very  best  interests  at  heart, 
but  the  work  among  the  young  women  of  the 
city  was  claiming  her  attention  at  this  time. 
She  had  just  awakened  to  the  great  need  for 
leaders  in  such  work,  who  not  only  had  a per- 
sonal knowledge  of  salvation,  but  who  also  had 


The  Church  Home  of  the  Dicksons  and  the  Gordons 


Saved  to  Serve 


125 


an  intimate  knowledge  of  human  nature,  and  of 
young  women  in  particular.  She  took  the  mat- 
ter to  the  Lord  in  prayer,  asking  for  special 
leading  as  to  what  she  should  do,  anxious  that 
the  time  and  strength  she  was  giving  to  the 
service  of  the  Master  should  be  spent  to  the 
very  best  advantage  for  Him,  and  relying  on 
His  promise,  “Acknowledge  Him  in  all  thy 
ways,  and  He  shall  direct  thy  paths”  (Prov. 
3:6).  Vera  waited  for  the  direct  leading  of 
the  Lord  in  this  matter  with  a will  that  was 
fully  yielded  to  the  Lord,  and  the  language  of 
her  heart  was  like  that  of  Frances  Ridley 
Havergal,  who  wrote, 


“Take  my  life,  and  let  it  be 
Consecrated,  Lord,  to  Thee; 

Take  my  moments  and  my  days. 
Let  them  flow  in  ceaseless  praise. 

“Take  my  voice,  and  let  me  sing 
Always  only  for  my  King; 

Take  my  lips,  and  let  them  be 
Filled  with  messages  from  Thee. 

“Take  my  will  and  make  it  Thine; 
It  shall  be  no  longer  mine; 

Take  my  heart,  it  is  Thine  own; 
It  shall  be  Thy  royal  throne. 


126 


Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 

“Take  my  love;  my  Lord,  I pour 
At  Thy  feet  its  treasure-store; 
Take  myself,  and  I will  be 
Ever,  only,  all  for  Thee.” 


“Alick,”  said  Vera,  on  one  occasion  when  he 
had  come  to  spend  the  evening  at  her  home,  “I 
have  a proposition  to  make.” 

“What  now,  Vera?  You  are  always  making 
propositions.” 

“It  is  just  this,  Alick.  You  know  my  class 
of  boys.  From  my  observation  o.f  the  work  in 
the  city,  I think  young  men’s  classes  should 
have  a strong  man  for  their  teacher, — one  who 
can  set  up  a high  standard  of  Christian  living; 
they  need  ideals,  and  I have  prayed  about  the 
matter,  and  feel  confident  you  are  the  one  to 
take  over  my  class;  the  hoys  all  love  you  and 
they  will  not  mind  the  change.” 

“But  what  will  you  do,  Vera?  You  will  die 
without  your  boys.” 

“That  might  have  been  true  some  time  ago, 
Alick,  but  since  my  will  is  no  longer  mine  I am 
satisfied  with  the  substitute  the  Lord  has  given 
me  for  them.  Then,  too,  I will  be  free  to  take 
up  the  much  needed  work  among  the  young 


Saved  to  Serve 


127 


women  of  the  city  where  we  have  not  been  able 
to  place  a competent  leader  and  from  hence- 
forth my  time  will  be  devoted  to  that  service.” 

“But,  Vera,  I am  not  a teacher;  I am  really 
only  learning  the  A B C of  the  gospel  myself, 
and  I fear  I could  never  teach  those  boys.” 

“That  is  just  where  I am,  Alick;  I have  not 
even  had  the  advantages  you  had  in  your  home, 
and  neither  of  us  have  studied  the  Bible  as  a 
text-book,  but  I have  talked  this  matter  over 
with  Dr.  Douglass,  and  he  recommends  very 
highly  a Bible  * which  he  says  is  both  Bible 
and  teacher  combined.” 

vfc  v!/  vIa  nIa  si/  vl/ 

■'fs  vfr  vjr  vf?  vf: 

The  plans  were  completed  for  the  wedding 
which  was  to  take  place  at  “The  Elms.”  It 
had  been  the  request  of  Vera  that  they  have  a 
quiet  home  wedding,  with  no  guests  except  the 
nearest  friends  of  both  bride  and  groom, — 
with  one  exception — Alick’s  class  of  young  men 
and  her  classes  of  young  women — these  young 
people  were  to  be  her  special  guests.  She  had 
arranged  for  a speaker  who  would  bring  a mes- 

*A  descriptive  circular  and  price-list  — also  the  Bible  itself— may  be 
obtained  from  the  publishers  of  this  book,  or  from  the  dealer  who  supplies 
it  to  you. 


128 


Vera  Dickson's  Triumph 

sage  from  the  Savior  who  had  honored  the 
marriage  feast  at  Cana  with  His  presence. 

Never  did  such  a happy  company  listen  to  the 
unfolding  of  the  words  of  Jesus  as  assembled 
at  “The  Elms”  on  this  particular  occasion.  It 
could  not  be  otherwise  since  the  Master  Him- 
self was  present. 

******* 

The  ceremony  was  over  and  the  happy  cou- 
ple were  leaving  for  their  honeymoon.  The 
young  were  present  to  congratulate  them ; the 
old  to  say,  “God  bless  you”;  their  friends  had 
showered  them  with  gifts  of  all  kinds ; but  the 
gift  valued  more  than  anything  else  was  the 
Bible  that  each  had  presented  to  the  other, 
which  was  to  be  their  guide  while  life  lasted  for 
they  had  found  it  was  “A  lamp  unto  their  feet, 
and  a light  unto  their  paths”  (Psalm  119: 105), 
and  they  trusted  the  Word  which  told  them, 
“The  path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  light, 
that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect 
day  (Prov.  4:18). 

“Hidden  in  the  hollow  of  His  blessed  hand, 

Never  foe  can  follow,  never  traitor  stand. 

Not  a surge  of  worry,  not  a shade  of  care, 

Not  a blast  of  hurry,  touch  the  spirit  there.” 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


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